Man gone missing from military garrison!
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 28, 2024 -

IF whereabouts of the 56-year-old Meetei, engaged for construction work inside the heavily manned Leimakhong military garrison, could not be located and saved in-spite of the CCTV footages examined by the army authorities providing no evidence that he left the well-fortified base of the army brigade after entering the same in the morning, then it's obvious that the public would question efficiency and commitment of the central security forces in protecting lives and properties of the commoners.

As per the missing person report filed by his younger sibling at Sekmai police station on Monday night, Laishram Kamalbabu left for the Leimakhong army camp from their rented quarter at Loitang Khunou village on his two-wheeler around 9 am Monday.

When family members tried to contact him around 4.15 pm after he did not return home from work at his usual timing, the phone remained in switch-off mode, clearly hinting that he could already be in big trouble.

Apart from CCTV footages showing Kamalbabu checking in at the entry gate, his son Birjit is also witness about his presence inside the army camp.

As it has been confirmed that the middle-aged man, originally from Assam's Cachar district, had entered the military bastion to supervise work of an on-going project, the military authorities definitely owe a thorough explanation to the people of Manipur on circumstances leading to his disappearance, for failure to trace someone whose entry to the camp has been established would naturally arise posers on integrity of the military authorities and deepen suspicion about complicity of central forces Vis-a-vis ongoing Kuki-Meetei conflict.

Moreover, the military administrators should concede that purpose for deployment of additional central forces in the state since outbreak of the violence has nothing to do with securing life of the people from anti-social/national elements but for enjoying monthly salaries and other perks associated with deployment in restive regions.

The incident also implies that even within the rank and file of the army there might be personnel who disregard the pledge taken to serve the nation and its citizens.

With Meetei settlements nearby the military garrison facing sporadic attacks with firing originating from the direction of Kuki villages in the vicinity of the army's sprawling campus, questions would naturally arise about diligence and integrity of the central forces in containing the violence.

Interestingly, in the formative stages of the conflict, left-over fuel from the now-defunct powerhouse located in the same Leimakhong area was released into upstream with the obvious design to pollute the river downstream and contaminate the paddy fields.

That Meetei civil society organisations have been sceptical about efficiency of the central forces in tackling the Manipur crisis could be comprehended from womenfolk confronting the army personnel who had arrived to clear the road blockade and questioning/remarking:

"What will you benefit from confronting us unarmed women protestors? Instead of confronting us, go there and face the Kuki militants. Carry out combing operations and rescue the missing man, if you are brave enough. We never started any skirmish. It is always the Kukis who first target civilians and Meetei villages. Despite such happenings, the GOC is still remaining silent. He should be ashamed".