Imphal, October 15: For the local residents of Irong Chesaba, specially the family members, friends and relatives of Sabir Khan, the happy and auspicious occasion of Eid turned into a mourning day.

Along with his friends, 17-year old Sabir Khan of Irong Chesaba Mayai Leikai Idgarh Leirak had gone out from home yesterday to enjoy the festivity, but he was killed in the cross-firing between the security personnel and armed cadres of an underground organisation.

Though to which side the fatal bullet that took away the life of the class XI student of Little Master Higher Secondary School, Samurou belonged to could not be confirmed, local people said personnel of the 22 Maratha Light Infantry posted at Mayang Imphal Chabung Company were involved in the incident.

However, PRO IGAR (S) maintained that the civilian was killed by the UGs.

In a statement, the PRO said troops of Maratha Light Infantry were carrying out area domination yesterday.

At area 7.55 pm, the patrol party reached western bank of Imphal river ear Cherai.

The scouts crossed the bailey bridge on the Imphal river and noticed a Maruti car stopping nearby and 3 to 4 persons got down from the car and started firing indiscriminately on the patrolling party.

There was built up area around the place.

To ensure no injury is caused to any civilian, troops took position but did not retaliate.

The UGs managed to escape taking advantage of the built up area leaving the car behind.

While escaping he UGs also fired a Lethode round.

The search of the area led to recovery of four fired cases of AK rifle, one lethode live bomb and Maruti car bearing registration no MN-1A-7389.One civilian was also killed by the fire of the UGs near he bridge, the PRO claimed, adding that the car is believed to have been hijacked from the area of Leishangkhong for which an FIR has already been lodged by civilians with Wangoi PS.

The Police Commandos of Imphal West were informed and reached the location.

The identity of the civilian is being ascertained and the body was taken away by Mayang Imphal Police Station from the site at around 9.30 pm, the PRO added.

Contradicting the claim of PRO IGAR (S), reports culled from the site of the incident said that at around 7.20 pm, Sabir Khan was coming out along with one of his aunties identified as Tulalei Begum to purchase something from a shop at Mayang Imphal Chirai just opposite to Irong Chesaba market when the security personnel stopped and made them to lie down on the ground near he bridge.

After sometime, gun shots were heard.

Tulalei Begum recounted that she was lying down not far from Sabir Khan, when the security personnel asked her to go from there and she returned home.

One Salimuddin of Heibong Makhong said that after Tulalei Begum left he saw Sabir lying near the bridge alone and when he tried to go near Sabir, the security personnel chased him out.

After the firing ceased, all the people went back to their respective houses and realised that Sabir had not returned yet.

At around 9.30 pm, armed with whatever they could lay their hands on infuriated people of the area went to the post of the security personnel.

But the police personnel who arrived at the scene dispersed them with tear gas.

Only when the police informed about a dead body, the people went and found out that it was Sabir Khan.

However, Salimuddin and Thadoi alias Majida Bibi, father and mother of Sabir Khan, were still waiting for the return of her son who had gone out to partake in the festivity of Eid. Later during the day, a memorandum of understanding between the JAC against the extra-judicial killing of Md Sabir Ahamad (Khan) and the Government of Manipur was signed in the office chamber of the Chief Minister.

Accordingly, the Government has agreed to look into the killing and find out the actual culprits and punish as per law.

Apart from looking into the feasibility of removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, the Government has also agreed to make every effort to prevent recurrence of such incident in future and examine the feasibility of instituting a judicial enquiry in connection with the incident.

In accordance to the memorandum of understanding signed by Secretary to the Chief Minister PK Singh on behalf of the Government and JAC president Md Safiulla, secretary Alhaj Maulana Abdul Hamid and Pradhan of Irong Chesaba Gram Panchayat Md Juma Khan on behalf of the JAC, the Government also agreed to remove 22nd MLI from the present post as early as possible and grant ex-gratia payment to the bereaved family after due verification within tens days counting from the day of cremation of the body, said the JAC.

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