Imphal, July 11: A 32-year old woman who was reportedly arrested from her own Bamon Kampu Mayai Leikai house last night by 17th Assam Rifles after issuing arrest memo to the family members was found abandon dead near Ngariyan Mapao Maring village this morning with tell-tale signs of brutal torture writ all over her body.

The woman has been identified as Thangjam Manorama alias Henthoi d/o (late) Th Bihari.

Police have collected the body and kept it at the mortuary of RIMS, where post-mortem was conducted even as the family members refused to take back the body.

Talking to media persons, family members of Manorama informed that the Assam Rifles personnel came to the house at midnight and entered after breaking down the door.

There were also some Manipuri speaking persons among the security personnel.

As soon as they broke into the house, the security personnel asked for Manorama, who by that time had already retired for the night in her room.

They dragged her out from the bed and beat up the family members when they tried to intervene.

After locking the door from outside with all the family members inside, the security personnel took Manorama at a corner of the veranda and thrashed her brutally for almost half an hour after blind folding and tying her hands and feet.

Before taking Manora-ma along with them, the security personnel gave an arrest memo to the family members and forced them to sign on some papers to claim that no other things have been taken away.

Havildar (General Duty) of the Assam Rifles Sureshkumar (Army number 123355) and Rifleman T Lotha (Army number 123916) also put their signature on the paper as authority and witness respectively.

The security personnel also told the family members not to be worried and Mano-rama would be handed over to the Irilbung police the next morning.

Manorama also removed the finger - ring and the neck-chain she was wearing and handed over the same to her family members before she was taken away.

However, she had gone wearing her gold-ear ring, the family member told media persons.Soon after, Manorama had been taken away by the Assam Rifles personnel, the family members infor-med the local people and after discussing the matter decided to report it to Irilbung Police Station early in the morning.

However, on hearing the news of a body being lying at Keirao-Wangkhem Road near Ngariyan Mapao Maring Village, the family me- mbers went and found out that it was of Manorama.

The body was found wearing with no proper cloth.

There were not only scratching marks of fingers all over the body, but also a deep gashing wound probably made by a knife on the right thigh.

There were also at least seven fatal bullet wounds on her back with one of them shot from upper buttock having pierced throu- gh her private part on the other side.

Although the post-mortem of the body has been conducted at RIMS Hospital after it was picked up by the Irilbung police, the family members have refused to take back the body contenting is was a case of extra judicial and custodial death and punishment should be given to the guilty personnel.

Infuriated local denizens also blocked Imphal-Yairipok Road in protest against the killing.

Later in the afternoon, representatives of local meira paibis and other organisations led by Kshetrigao A/C MLA Vivek Raj Wangkhem met Chief Minister and submitted a memorandum demanding action against the guilty personnel and removal of Armed Forces Special Power Acts among others.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister gave his assurance of conducting a judicial enquiry into the incident.

But the infuriated local people were not happy with the verbal assurance of the Chief Minister and their demands id far from that.

They also resolved to take up other means in pursuance of the demands and not to take back the back until all the demands are fulfilled.

A emergency public meeting has also been convened tomorrow at 10 am to discuss further course of action to be taken up.

All Manipur Women's Social Reformation and Development Samaj while strongly condemning the brutal killing of Thangjam Manorama by Central security forces last night has termed the act as barbaric and inhuman.

Condemning the barbaric killing of Thangjam Manorama by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles after severely torturing her at Ngariyan last night, Manipuri Chanura Leishem Marup, Momnu Eerikkhombi Lup Ethno Heritage Council has appealed to the authorities concerned to look into the matter and book the culprits immediately so that such actions are never repeated again in future.

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles has claimed responsi- bility for the killing of a hardcore PLA woman cadre on the night of July 10.In a statement, AR spokesman identified the deceased cadre as one Self Styled Corporal Thangjam Manorama alias Henthoi.

Based on specific information about the presence of PLA cadres at Bamon Kampu area, an AR team rushed to the area and apprehended Manorama.

During interrogation she disclosed that she possessed an AK 47 rifle and was willing to take the army personnel to recover the arm.

However on the way, she was gunned downed by the AR personnel as she made a bid to escape by jumping down from the army vehicle, added the AR spokesman.

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