Imphal, December 24 2008: Two unidentified gunmen who came to the Top Siphai residence of founder of Iboton Modern School Yumnam Megha reportedly took away mo-ney and mobile handsets last night.

The residence of Megha is attached with the hostel of the school. The incident occurred at around 8.30 pm yesterday.

The unidentified gunmen entered the residencial com-pound while the hostel war- den as Elangbam Premijit was talking over his mobile phones near the gate. In connection with the incident, Premjit informed that he was talking over the mobile phone when the two unidentified gunmen suddenly barged into and snatched the mobile phone from him even as one of them pointed the gun at his his head.

Premjit said that he could not ascertain whether the other person was armed or not but recalled that one of them was well-built while the other was of short stature. One of the armed person identify himself as Thoubal district commander Mei-raba of KCP (MC) Lalheiba Meetei group and told Premjit that they have come to have some talks in connection with the school and asked him to call out the founder of the school. When Premjit replied that the founder has been bedridden from his piles problem, the two armed intruders forced Premjit to lead them inside the house of the founder. According to Yumnam Megha, as soon as the arm-ed persons entered the house, one of them identified as Thoubal district commander Meiraba of KCP (MC) Lalheiba Meetei group and said they have come to inspect the school. Charging the founder with irregularities in the administration of the school, the armed intruders said they have come to take their percentage and demanded Rs 3 lakh.

Afterward the armed persons took away the mobile phone handsets of the founder, his wife Yumnam Ongbi Neroda, the hostel warden and one of the lady teachers. When the founder clarified that there are no irregu- larities in the functioning of the school and requested to point out the same if their is any, the armed persons instead of listening to the plea insisted a sum of Rs 3 lakhs should be given as percentage cut even as one of the armed intruders started searching the almirahs. When the wife of the school founder Neroda pleaded the armed persons to give them some time in arranging the demanded amount as they have been running the school with great financial difficulties, the armed persons did not listen but accept the gold necklace she was wearing when she took it off and handed over the same. Moreover, when armed persons demanded whether they did not have even Rs 20,000, Neroda requested to hand over her mobile phone so that she could contact other family members to bring whatever cash they have with them.

Thus a sum of Rs 8100 was arranged and given to the armed intruders Besides, the cash, the armed persons had also taken in all seven mobile phone handsets. Before leaving the armed intruders have also reportedly informed they would be coming for inspection of all the schools before matric examination and anybody who do not respond to the summon would be given capital punishment without warning.

The armed intruders also allegedly told the family members of the school founder that they should organise dharna in connection with the incident and make it an issue. Suspicious of the conduct of the armed intruders, Megha said he does not believe that KCP (MC) may be behind the incident and appealed to the outfit to come out with a clarification in this regard.

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