Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 04 01 2010:
Two witnesses have given their statements before the Justice Agarwal Commission of Enquiry in connection with the July 23 Khwairamband killings.
Manager of Sanapukei restaurant Kaluram Saini and waiter Babulal Saini said that they have no idea how the incident took place nor did they know the civilians and police commandos pictured together with them in the Tehelka's first photograph.
When they were serving breakfast to table number 7 at about 10 am, some customers asked to pull down the shutter of the restaurant located at BT Road.
"Accordingly, the shutter was pulled down.
As I tried to lock the shutter, some customers told us to keep it unlock", Babulal Saini said.
After a gap of around 10 minutes, there was banging on the shutter from outside shouting to open it.
"After opening the shutter, I stood at the door-mouth for a few seconds before I went to kitchen", he said giving his statement.
Soon police entered into the restaurant and checked all persons present inside the restaurant.
Babulal said that he did not know when and who took Tehelka's photograph number one.
He said that he could not figure out how he was pictured in the photograph.
Even as Babulal saw a number of civilians and police personnel when he opened the shutter, he could not recognise them as he felt nervous at the time.
Saying that he could not explain why customers asked him to pull down the shutter, Babulal, nevertheless, recalled that his elder brother Kaluram Saini was sitting at counter at that time.
In his statement, Kaluram Saini said that he heard sounds of people running as he was sitting at counter.
Soon the restaurant was filled up by a large number of people.
In the next moment, neighbouring shops were seen pulling down their shutters.
Soon, the shutter of his restaurant was also pulled down.
While admitting that the restaurant pictured in Tehelka's photograph no 1 was his restaurant, Kaluram said that he was too nervous at those moments that he could not identify the persons pictured in front of his restaurant.
"No one was arrested from the restaurant but I have no idea what happened in the adjacent pharmacy.
Some low sounds which sounded like gunshots could be heard", Kaluram said.
Even as Tehelka reporters��Teressa Rehman and Soma Choudhury were summoned to today's hearing, they failed to appear before the Commission.
Consequently, the Commission has sent bailable warrant of arrest to the two reporters to appear before the Commission on January 20 .
The Commission has also issued an order to send summons to all the doctors involved in conducting post mortem examinations of the persons killed in July 23 firing.