March 17 and 18 ghost comes back to haunt State
Four more labourers shot dead in Imp E and W
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24: The ghost of March 17 and 18 this year has come back to haunt the conscience of the people, with unidentified gunmen shooting to death four migrant workers while inflicting serious injuries on two others in Imphal East and West today.

On March 17 unidentified gunmen mowed down 7 migrant workers while on March 18, eight labourers were also shot dead.

Taking serious note of the matter, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh convened a joint meeting of the Chief Secretary, DGP and SPs of Imphal East and Imphal West District and discussed the law and order situation today evening.

Doctors attending to one of the injured labourers at RIMS hospital, Tuesday

Today's incident has come about even as the cases related to killing of 15 migrant workers in different parts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur District on March 17 and 18 continue to haunt the collective conscience of the people.

In the first incident which occured at around 1.50 pm today, unidentified gunmen struck, killing two migrant workers, at the foothill of Natumching located near Huidrom village under Lamlai Police Station in Imphal East District.

Police suspected that both the victims may have been shot on the back of their heads after making them to lie face down with hands tied from behind.

One fatal bullet each shot from the back of the heads exited on the side of their faces.

The identity of one of the victims has been established as Md Nur Ali (17) of Assam.

He was engaged in drilling of a hand pump at Natumching and it is suspected that he may have been picked up and shot dead by the gunmen while coming out to get some pipes.

Both the bodies have been picked up by the police and deposited at RIMS morgue here.

Following the incident, a combined force launched a massive search operation in and around area.

However, there is no report of any arrest made in this connection till the time of filing this report.

In the second incident which took place in between 4.30 pm and 5 pm at Heinoubok under Lamphel Police Station in Imphal West District, two migrant workers were shot dead while two others were shot and injured.

The two slain migrant workers are suspected to be Bali Ram, (30) son of Sukei of Ramnagar village under Gopalganj district, Bihar and staying at Khuyathong on rent and Din Dayal (27) s/o Ravinder of Ratanpur village under Gopalganj district of Bihar and staying at Majorkhul, Imphal.

The injured have been identified as Ramdhari Prasad (40) of Ramnagar village of Gopalganj district, Bihar and Suraj (28) of Begusarai, Bihar.

Both of them sustained bullet injuries on their left thighs and have been admitted to RIMS Hospital for treatment.

All four of them were/are reportedly engaged as labourers for lifting and unloading of goods in a hardware shop dealing in cement and steel located near Langol Lairembi.

They had gone together in a 407 mini truck to lift some cement bags from the storeroom of the shop located at Sega Road and unloading the same at Changangei.

However, at Changangei area, they were waylaid by some unidentified armed persons coming in a Santro car and were shot after taking them at Heinoubok near the piggery farm of one W Premananda.

Two of them were killed on the spot while the two others sustained.

Driver of the Mini Tata truck identified as Sarat of Seijang, who was a witness to the crime later reportedly brought the truck and the goods loaded safely to the godown of the shop located at Naoremthong.

The truck owner has been identified as one Ningombam Bhaskar of Kongba Laishram Leikai and the truck had been reportedly hired by the employees of the hardware store from Khuman Lampak area.

Taking serious note of renewed violence incident against migrant workers in the State, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh convened a joint meeting of Chief Secretary, DGP and SPs of Imphal East and Imphal West District later during the day and discussed the law and order situation.

As pre-emptive measures of preventing further crime, security has been stepped up in valley area and steps taken up to evacuate migrant labourers to the nearest police stations.

Meanwhile MLA from Khundrakpam AC Kh Lokeshore has expressed shock and grief over the killings.

In a statement, the MLA urged all concerned not to repeat such heinous deeds in the future.