NHRC reveals more chinks in State police's armour
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 24 2013:
The officials of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who are currently at Imphal on a three-day visit to hear complaints of human rights violations in Manipur, were up for a rude shock today when they learnt that the report of the judicial inquiry into the infamous Khwairamband Bazar police firing incident of July 23, 2009 that led to the death of an alleged former UG cadre Chungkham Sanjit and a pregnant woman Thokchom Rabina, has not seen the light of the day till date.
The matter came to light during a Camp sitting of NHRC conducted at Classic Hotel here.
Out of the total 46 cases taken up for hearing during the camp sitting which was conducted in three separate sittings as full commission, division bench-I and division bench-II, the one related to the Khwairamband Bazar incident was taken up as one of the most important cases by the NHRC officials.
During the course of the hearing of the case, representative of the Government of Manipur placed before the Commission that the report of the inquiry conducted by the retired Justice of Gauhati High Court PG Agarwal was submitted to the Government in 2012 .
However, as the report has not been discussed by the State Cabinet no action has been taken so far in connection with the recommendations made in the report.
Taking serious note over the conduct of the State Cabinet in sidelining such an important inquiry report, which should have been taken up for discussion even in the State Assembly and brought to the notice of the people, the Commission directed that the State Cabinet to discuss the report within a 3-month's time.
The Commission also took up the case of Athokpam Angousana of Kumbi Napat Mayai Leikai, who was allegedly tortured and killed after being picked up from home by a team of Manipur Police Commandos on February 27, 2011 .
The Commission came to know that the IO concerned has not yet submitted the chargesheet of the case and demanded to know why it has taken so long to submit the chargehseet.
To this IO concerned replied that the efforts are being made for getting the prosecution sanction.
However, the Commission pointed out that prosecution sanction for such cases is required and the IO should look up the directives of the Supreme Court in this regard.
With regard to the case of person from Thongju part �II who was allegedly killed in a shoot out, the Commission grilled the IO concerned.
The Commission demanded to know how a person who was killed during shoot out could have bullet wound on his back, how could it be possible for a person with grievous injuries on his hand held a gun and whether a 2/3 feet high elevated portion be called a hill.
The IO concerned was left simply speechless.
On the death of Irengbam Ratankumar of Sekmaijin, who lost his life in the hands of Security personnel in 2010, the Commission demanded to know how the victim from whose possession a demand letter on a plain letter was recovered could be established as a UG cadre and why there was no blood stain on the alleged demand letter which was reportedly found inside the pocket of the half-pant worn the victim even though there were bullet marks on his thigh.
The commission also asked more questions to the representatives of the state Government on denial of ex-gratia to the next of kin of the victims killed in encounters with the security forces in the state.
In this regard, Additional Secretary (Home) M Yaiskul informed the commission that the Home Department has already referred the matter regarding payment of compensation to the families of encounter victims to the state Cabinet.
However, the NHRC team expressed unhappiness over taking so long to pay the compensation to the victims and appealed to the Government side to expedite it.
The commission also heard on the complaint by Loktak fishermen regarding non-payment of compensation to them for clearance of phumdis (floating biomass) by the state Government after which the lake dwellers were displaced from their huts built on the phumdis.
Loktak Development Authority (LDA) Director Th Ibobi Singh said he has no proper knowledge because the onus lies with the state Government when the commission asked him whether the case has been handed to the CBI for probe.
However, Chief Secretary PC Lawmkunga told the commission that the Law Department is seriously looking into the matter.
In today's Camp sitting of the Commission, the full commission of NHRC chairperson Justice KG Balakrishnan and members Justice Cyriac Joseph, Satyabarta Pal and SC Sinha took up four cases.
A total of 22 different cases were heard in the division bench-I sitting chaired by Justice Cyriac and Sinha while 20 others during the sitting presided over by Justice Balakrishnan and Satyabarta.
Tomorrow, the NHRC team would hear the complaints from Civil society organisations.
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