Bullet claims woman's life as AR celebrates WC victory
AR insists it was 'accidental'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 03 2011:
Security forces firing guns to celebrate India's cricket World Cup victory claimed life of an old widow, sleeping in her bed, in Thoubal district.
Local reports said that troopers fired guns as part of the celebration of the victory but AR authority said that bullets were accidentally discharged during the handing/taking over and checking of weapons.
68-year-old Waikhom Mani Devi of Thoubal Nongyongkhong Banot Leikai, neighbouring the AR post, was killed by a bullet fired by the troops of 15 AR last night at 12.10 am.
The 7.62 mm LMG ammunition pierced through the roof of the house before hitting the sleeping woman.
The killing sparked tension among the people who lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister, who in turn assured justice to the family of the victim.
The bullet entered the left armpit of the woman and exited in the chest.
She succumbed to her injury around 12.30 am at Thoubal district hospital where she was rushed for first aid.
A family member said that they heard about 50 rounds of guns being fired and one of the bullets hit the roof of their house which is located around 800m away from the AR post.
No sooner had the bullet hit the roof, Mani shouted in a loud voice, Thabalei the daughter-in-law said that she rushed to Mani's room after hearing her shouting.
She found her mother-in-law in a pool of blood.
Uncountable numbers of bullet holes were found at many houses and structures in the surrounding of the AR post.
However, no other casualties were reported.
More casualties could have resulted if the incident had taken place in day time and if people had run out of their houses due to fear, a local person said.
A large number of people took to the streets in Thoubal district headquarters and shouted various slogans against the security forces.
They also demanded the shifting of the security post from the area.
Top officials of the 15 AR as well police including Lieutenant Colonel Om Prakash, Adjutant Bikram and Additional SP of Thoubal district Jogeshkumar rushed to the spot and tried to calm the agitating people.
Later, the people staged a sit-in-protest at Thoubal Bazar where a public meeting was also convened at 8 am.
The meeting formed a JAC apart from resolving to press the government for booking AR personnel behind the firing and to give a befitting punishment to them as per law of the land.
Landhoni, wife of Chief Minister who paid a visit to the house of the deceased, asked the JAC members to come to the CM's bungalow to lodge their complaints with the CM so that appropriate action could be taken up.
Representatives of the JAC come up to Imphal this afternoon and met the Chief Minister and submitted a memorandum to the CM.
With no agreement being reached, the JAC decided not to take back the dead body even as the necessary postmortem on the body was conducted at JNIMS morgue this afternoon.
The possibility of an accidental discharge is being investigated.
AR would extend full cooperation and assistance to the family of the deceased, the police and the local people to investigate into the matter, the statement added.
The protest against the killing spread to other areas of the district.
Womenfolk of Yairipok staged a sit-in-protest.
They condemned the act of the AR terming it as an act of savage people.
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