Imphal, August 16: Pebam Chittaranjan Mangang, a thirty two year old Bishnupur Dist MSF advisor who set himself ablaze at Bishnupur Bazar yesterday, demanding the complete revocation of the AFSPA from the State succumbed to his injuries at RIMS hospital this evening at around 3.15.According to reports, Chittaranjan took the extreme step of self immolation to denounce the rampant human rights violation committed by security personnel and the partial lifting of Disturbed Area Act from the State.

Chittaranjan is reported to have sustained 80% burn injuries.

Pebam Chittaranjan s/o P Subol Mangang of Sega Road, Takhel Leikai was residing at Bishnupur Thiyam Leikai at the time of his death.

Reports further informed that Chittaranjan had also issued a "suicide note" denouncing the series of killing and other forms of human rights violation committed by security personnel under the shadow of AFSPA before dousing himself with kerosene and committing self immolation at Bishnupur Bazar at around 10 am yesterday.

With flames engulfing his entire body, he ran towards the office of DC Bishnupur but was caught by some locals and police personnel who quickly intervened and doused the fire.

The victim was immediately rushed to Bishnupur Dist Hospital and given first aid treatment.

He was later shifted to RIMS hospital as the burn injuries were critical.

Before he was wheeled into the casualty ward of RIMS, Chittaranjan shouted "The security personnel killed innocent people, raped our sisters and I also have become a victim of AFSPA".

Minutes after the incident, District Magistrate Bishnupur clamped indefinite curfew at Bishnupur Bazar to pre-empt any further unwanted incident.

Post mortem on Chittaranjan's body could not be conducted today as the victim's family members failed to turn up.

The victim's body is still lying at RIMS morgue.

Mention may be made here that this is the second self immolation bid after five leaders of Manipur Forward Youth Front (MAFYF) attempted the same in front of the Chief Minister's bungalow a few weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the indefinite curfew still continued at Bishnupur bazar area today as tension remained high following the self immolation of Chittaranjan yesterday.

Normal live was paralyzed with shops downing shutters and vehicles staying off the road.

Police had to also resort to firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse a group of protestors who were trying to set up road blocks at Bishnupur Bazar area at 9.30 am.

In another incident, one Laishram Bisheshor (21) s/o (L) Yaima of Mantripukhri Lamlongei sustained live bullet injury at his left thigh during a stand off with security personnel at Mantripukhri yesterday.

Bisheshor who is under going treatment at RIMS hospital, Lamphel said even after the police quelled a human chain demonstration by lobbing tear gas shells and firing rubber bullets, he was dragged out from a house and shot on the thigh after severely torturing him.

Chittaranjan signs off with a call for united struggle: Some people are known to sign off with a message for the people to follow and Chittaranjan, who burnt himself to death to demand the revocation of all black laws from the North East region, did sign off with a message to the people to think over.

Among the last few slogans that the late youth raised in his suicide note to his family members and friends were the words, "Remove all black laws from North East," "Unity is our strength, struggle unitedly, not separately," "Punish the culprit in Pastor Jamkholet Khongsai and Miss Th Manorama case, " and "For my final decision of selfless sacrifice, the responsibility should be Manipur Government and Government of India respectively�.

More importantly, the late youth also observed in the last words of his suicide note, "without struggle, nothing can be achieved".

Dated August 14, 2004, the suicide note is a clear indication of what the youth had in mind when he set himself on fire.

The suicide note dwelt at length on the rampant human rights violations committed by the security personnel ever since the whole of Manipur came under the AFSPA in 1980 and noted that the growing number of human rights organizations was enough testimony of the growing menace of the excesses and atrocities committed by the men in uniform.

The Manipur Human Rights Commission, which was set up following huge public pressure is today a defunct entity, noted Chittaranjan.

That Pastor Jamkholet and Manorama were killed after intense torture and in custody is an irrefutable fact, said the suicide note and added that the time has come for the people to teach the political class a lesson as they have always deemed it fitter to serve their Delhi bosses rather than look after the welfare of the people.

Chittaranjan left the message that it was far better to die by raising the voice of freedom rather than to continue living under such black laws and said that he would serve as the beacon for the others to follow.

The late youth also asked his family members, particularly his parents to forgive him for taking such a step without informing them and added that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, then he would surely come back to finish his duty as a son.

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