Five persons held in lynching case ; Don't take law in your hands: SP
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 14 2018: Five people allegedly involved in the lynching of one Md Farooque Ahmad (26) s/o Alhaj Nasib Ali of Lilong Haoreibi Mayai Leikai, have been arrested and taken into custody for taking up necessary legal action.

Speaking to media persons at Imphal West SP conference hall today, SP (I/W) Haobijam Jogeshchandra said that the unfortunate incident of mob justice took place early morning yesterday at Tharoijam Awang Leikai, under Patsoi PS.

The deceased youth was chased and brutally thrashed to death by the locals for allegedly trying to steal a two wheeler vehicle from the garage of one Moirangthem Girani of Tharoijam Awang Leikai.

The SP conveyed that such act of mob justice/lynching is very unfortunate and appealed to the public not to take the law into their own hands.

He continued that the Supreme Court of India passed an order in July this year, against mob justice/lynching, by appointing the SP of any district as the Nodal officer to take up every necessary steps to control such situations and for taking up necessary legal action against those involved in the lynching.

The SP appealed to the public not to repeat such act in the future and instead urged them to report to the police station concerned regarding any incidents happening in their respective areas to prevent such incidents in the future.

The people involved in the lynching have been identified by the police and further course of action has been taken up to arrest other people involved in the case as well.

The five individuals who were arrested by the police have been identified as Moirangthem Girani (59) s/o (L) Gopal, Kshetrimayum Naoba (23) s/o Inaocha, Chingangbam Ibomcha (35) s/o (L) Jugeshor, Chingangbam Subashchandra (45) s/o (L) Jugeshor and Phamdom Shamu (51) s/o Ibopishak, all from Tharoijam Awang Leikai.

On the other hand, the SP clarified that necessary enquiry is underway regarding the allegations in social media that some police personnel failed to act swiftly while the now deceased Farooque was lying injured on the ground.

He also said that Cyber Crime Unit Imphal West is also trying to arrest those who uploaded the videos and photos of the unfortunate incident in social media like Facebook and WhatsApp.

DIG K Jayenta clarified that the police acted in a swift manner soon after getting information about the incident.

A police team even took the injured victim Farooque to the hospital for treatment but he unfortunately succumbed to his injury before reaching the hospital, he added.

The DIG also stated that the police also took some time to get the victim to safety due to a number of obstacles faced by the police personnel while controlling the unruly mob.

The police have established all the people involved in the lynching and will take up all necessary legal action against them for taking the law into their own hand, he assured.

The DIG further informed that the police have also established the identities of the other two associates of the deceased who allegedly came to the area with the deceased on the day of the incident and who allegedly managed to flee from the spot in a car.

The car which was also burned down by the mob and which allegedly belonged to the associates of the deceased, has also been found to be registered in the name of one Rahul Sikdar of Tagore Road, Kolkata.

The police are also looking for any kind of vehicle theft cases involving the said two associates, he added.

The police also suspect the involvement of some locals of the area in connection with vehicle thefts, as it would not be possible for vehicle lifters to steal vehicles from the said area without the support of some locals.

He also said that the two individuals who came with the deceased and who managed to flee, have been under the surveillance of Anti Vehicle Theft Team Manipur, which is handling cases of stolen vehicles, for some time.

The DIG then appealed to the people not to take the law into their own hand and urged them to hand over any person involved in crime to the police station concerned for taking up necessary legal action.

He further clarified that the police will not release the arrested individuals just because of pressure from the locals of the arrested people and added that the police will take up all kinds of necessary legal procedures against them for the lynching.

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