Murder suspect lynched; Another alleged killer's house torched
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 22 2009: A person suspected to be involved in the possible rape and murder of a 35 year-old spinster was lynched by a large mob today.

Meanwhile, the house of another man suspected to be involved in the murder of an eighteen year-old housewife was burned to ashes by another huge mob in the follow up incidents of the heinous crimes that happened on Tuesday and Wednesday last consecutively.

The youth suspected to be behind the murder of the 35 year-old spinster, Sapam Surbala @ Memton, daughter of Jugin of Pukhao Khabam, was thrashed to death by a mob this late evening at the spot where the dead body of the woman was retrieved yesterday morning.

The youth was identified as Moirangthem Tiken @ Abung (32), son of late Ningthemjao of the same village where the victim hailed from.

He was learning Eshei Pala from the deceased, Memton's elder brother, Ibohanbi.

The villagers asserted that Tiken used to talk to Memton on mobile phone frequently.

They had secret relationship.

Tiken had talked to Memton from a mobile phone of another woman of the same village that night Memton was missing.

He used to talk to Memton from the same mobile phone almost every night.

He used to delete the phone number after the conversation, the villagers said.

When the villagers set about searching for possible reasons behind the brutal murder, they began to enquire about the telephone number which Memton had received that night she went missing.

When the villagers dialed the number, no one responded at first.

After repeated dialing, younger sister of Tiken picked up the phone.

Then the villagers came to know that the phone belonged to Tiken.

Tiken, however, was present at the entire event right from collecting the dead body of Memton after postmortem at the RIMS morgue to performing the last rites.

He also took part in looking for the murderer (s).

He strongly denied the accusation of the villagers alleging that he had not talked to the deceased woman on that fateful day.

He said that he had kept his mobile phone at a shop for re-charging that evening.

Not convinced with Tiken's refusal, some villagers went to the Airtel office to verify the number which Memton had contacted that very evening.

Mob set fire to the house of Momba, prime accused in the brutal murder Tamphasana

From the Airtel office in Imphal, they came to know that Tiken had frequent contacts with Memton.

Later, Tiken was found missing from his home.

But accidentally he was caught by some villagers from Pukhao Iranpham Lamkhai.

He was brought to the village and interrogated.

During the interrogation, Tiken admitted that he had killed Memton.

The outraged villagers then started beating him with any available weapon.

At the same time, members of the family of Tiken had fled the house.

Tiken succumbed to his injuries he received in the mob fury.

The villagers also demolished the house of Tiken, reports from the spot said.

On the other hand, the house of a man suspected to be involved in the murder of Okram Tamphasana, wife of O Chinglensana @ Naocha of Serou Part-I Awang Bazar, Pukhrambam Momba @ Boby at Keirao Mayai Leikai was also completely demolished and burned by a huge mob this afternoon.

Reports said that the villagers got together and chased Momba when they saw him moving through the paddy fields of the village this morning.

They conducted a manhunt in the fields.

Police also took part in the manhunt, but could not trace him.

Unable to find him till around 2.15 pm, even though around 3,000 villagers conducted the search, the villagers held a public meeting later.

The meeting resolved to expel the family of Momba from the locality forever, and impose total ban on entry into the house by any of the villagers.

But unable to control anger, the villagers rushed to the house of the alleged murderer and started dismantling the house.

Some started setting fire to the house.

Police rushed to the spot to control the mob, but the mob forced them to retreat from the spot.

Some villagers pulled down the wooden and bamboo house to the ground while some set fire to the furniture and belongings of the house.

Everything that was found inside the house had been turned into ashes.

They also demolished the Shanggoi, a structure in front of the house.

The family had already taken away some portables of the house before the mob attacked it.

Momba, his wife and their child left the house while his parents were taking shelter at the police station since yesterday, said the villagers.