Churachandpur gun house loot of May 3 : Police refused to act, alleges affidavit to MHRC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 21 2023: Even as a gun house in Churachandpur was looted several times, the district police "refused" to intervene and arrest the miscreants, revealed an affidavit submitted by the owner of the gun house with the Manipur Human Rights Commission.

The gun house was first looted on May 3, the day violence erupted at Churachandpur after the Tribal Solidarity March organised by ATSUM.

Repeated appeals were made to prevent miscreants from looting and ransacking the gun-house, but the police on duty "refused to act" .

While "no attempt" was made to stop the loot, the police personnel on duty "steadily and ignorantly moved away from the area covered by CCTV thereby facilitating the looting and ransacking of the gun house," said the affidavit submitted by N Ibomcha Singh.

The affidavit was filed against a police report on the case.

Notably, the case was initially investigated by a Sub-Inspector of Chura-chandpur Police against a direction of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) which stated that the case should be handled by a non-Kuki, non-Meitei cop at the rank of SP/Deputy SP.

However, after the MHRC intervened, the case has now been given to Karthik Malladi, present Superintendent of Police, Chu- rachandpur district for investigation.

To this effect, Manipur police has informed the Government that IPS officer Karthik Malladi is the only non-Kuki and non-Meitei officer in Churachandpur district and he has been given the charge to investigate the gun house case.

In the wake of the May 3 conflict, N Ibomcha the owner of the gun house, after fleeing Churachandpur, had lodged a complaint with the Imphal police station.

In the complaint, N Ibomcha had stated that 500 guns and hundreds of ammunition had been looted from his gun house by Kuki miscreants on May 3 .

Due to inaction by the police, he had approached the MHRC for intervention on May 15 .

Meanwhile, a copy of the affidavit that has been submitted to the MHRC said on May 3, at the time of the incident, N Ibomcha and a salesman were taking refuge in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Chura- chandpur.

Despite repeated requests made to prevent the loot, the police personnel on duty "refused to act" .

"No attempt whatsoever was made" by the police to stop the miscreants from looting and ransacking the gun house, said the affidavit.

In the affidavit, N Ibomcha said internet was still working at the time and he was able to record CCTV footage of the looting and ransacking of the gun house on his mobile phone via Wi-Fi connection.

In the footage, police personnel were clearly seen in front of the gun house talking to two Kuki miscreants, who he claimed were cadres of SoO outfit.

The police personnel then "steadily and ignorantly moved away from the area covered by CCTV thereby facilitating the looting and ransacking of the gun house," said the affidavit.

The next day, when he was at the office of the SP, he saw "some Kukis still looting and ransacking the gun house".

He was able to capture and record the looting and ransacking on his mobile phone.

He even asked the police personnel who were on guard duty to arrest the Kuki miscreants, but the police personnel "refused" to do so, said the affidavit.

It may be noted here that on September 8, Chairperson of MHRC, Justice UB Saha had made several recommendations to the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur including a direction to take up necessary actions to recover all arms and ammunition looted from police armouries and Churachandpur Gun House.

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