PREPAK refutes police claim on Salungpham incident
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 18 2024: Refuting the claim by Manipur police regarding the December 14 incident at Salungpham, the proscribed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) clarified that the Party and its mil itary wing Red Army are unrelated with the deceased Laishram Prem or the six individuals arrested by police from Salungpham.

Denouncing the statement made to the media by DIG Range-II Jogeshchandra Haobijam at the conference hall of SP Thoubal on Tuesday regarding the Salungpham incident, a PREPAK statement said Jogeshchandra's claim was not only completely fabricated and baseless but also testament of Manipur police's tendency to mislead the public.

The PREPAK statement issued by publicity officer Mangal Khuman contended that Manipur police commando killed Laishram Prem (18), son of L Romen of Thoubal Khunou, in a firing incident occurred near Salungpham High School on December 14 morning.

The police commandos also rounded up six people hailing from different parts of Manipur from the incident site with all falsely branded as PREPAK members, the statement said, clarifying that the deceased student and six arrested individuals were unrelated to the Party or its military wing Red Army in any manner.

According to the PREPAK statement, all the seven individuals including the deceased Prem were shouldering responsibilities as village volunteers to defend from genocide and ethnic cleansing war waged across Kangleipak by Kuki narco-terrorists since May 3, 2023.The PREPAK criticised the Manipur police for their inability to safeguard the lives and properties of innocent civilians since May 2023 and accused the police of deliberately targeting innocent villagers in an attempt to divert focus from their own failure in tackling the crisis.

Mention may be made that on Tuesday, DIG Jogeshchandra cited forensic experts' findings that Prem died in firing by members of his own group.

Informing that Heirok police has registered a case and investigations underway in connection with the death of Prem, who he had identified as a PREPAK cadre, the DIG told media persons at the Thoubal SP's conference hall that based on a tip-off, Thoubal district police went to Salungpham area, where they signalled an Alto car and an A-Star car to halt for checking.

However, the police team came under fire from occupants of one of the cars.

In response, the police fired in the air and detained six persons, recovered arms from their possession while an individual (Prem), who suffered bullet wounds was rushed to Raj Medicity, but succumbed to injuries.

Apart from assertion by the DIG, a police statement claimed about preliminary forensic examinations indicating that Prem died in firing by members of a rival underground group, and not from law enforcement personnel.

The firing took place from a vehicle, identified as an A-star car, which was located behind the scene, it said, adding that 'UG cadres' had travelled from Kakching Khu nou with the intention of extorting money in Salungpham area.

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