Verdict on Triple Murder: Hopeson Ningshen Guilty
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 31 2014 : After numerous rounds of deferment, the Special CBI Court of Justice VK Gupta located within the complex of Patiala House, New Delhi today finally pronounced Hopeson Ningshen, a self-styled Lt Colonel of the Naga rebel group, NSCN (IM) as guilty for the commission of offences punishable under Section 302, 364 A, 394 read with 120 B IPC in connection with abduction and subsequent brutal murder of Dr Thingnam Kishan, the then SDO of Kasom Khullen and his two subordinate staffs, namely Revenue Mandal Yumnam Token and driver Aribam Rajen.

Under Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 302 relates to punishment for murder, Section 364-A to kidnapping or abducting for murder, 394 to voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery and 120-B relates to punishment for criminal conspiracy.

Verdict on Triple Murder: Hopeson Ningshen Guilty

However, the argument on the quantum of sentences to be given to the accused would be held on June 30, 2014 .

The case of triple murder, which sent shock waves across the State and beyond, dated back to 2009 .

Dr Kishan, an MSC officer of the 2007 batch, who was then posted as SDO of Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul district, was abducted along with six other people including Revenue Mandal Token and driver Rajen by Hopeson Ningshen and his coterie from Ukhrul district headquarters on February 13, 2009.After three of the abducted persons namely Ramthing Shinglai, Ramshing Siro and Kapangkhui Jajo were released, Dr Kishan, Token and Rajen were found bludgeoned to death near Luphrabi Bridge at Taphou Kuki village located about 7 kms to the south of Senapati district headquarters along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) four days after on February 17 .

The sheer brutality and savagery of the triple murder had sent shock waves across the State and beyond with people crying for justice.

Taking serious note of the killings, the Government of Manipur convened an emergency Cabinet meeting on February 17, 2009 itself.

Apart from deciding to provide Government jobs to the next of kins of the deceased, the Cabinet meeting also announced ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakhs to the family members of Dr Th Kishan and Rs 5 lakhs each to his two subordinate staff and decided to rope in the service of CBI to investigate into the case.

Initially, NSCN (IM) tried to wash off its hands from the triple killings, maintaining that it was an individual act and termed Hopeson Ningshen a black sheep of the outfit.

However, following intense public pressure, particularly from the side of Naga Hoho and Eastern Naga People's Organisation, NSCN (IM) was forced to hand over Hopeson Ningshen to the Naga Hoho, which in turn handed him over to the the CBI at Dimapur on May 28, 2009 .

With completion of the trial and arguments which lasted around three years, final verdict against the accused Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen was supposed to be announced on January 18, 2014.But it deferred several times this day May 31 when the Judge of Special CBI Court V.K.Gupta pronounced accused Hopeson Ningshen as guilty for the commission of offences punishable under Section 302, 364 A, 394 read with 120B IPC.

In the present case, senior Public Prosecutor AK Singh appeared for the CBI while ND Pancholi as defence counsel.

Supreme Court Advocate Collin is the legal representative of the victim families.

Though the case has reached this far, three co-accused in the sensational murder are still at large and a case filed by Dr Kishan's father Th Surendra at Gauhati High Court against the then Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul Pankaj Kumar Pal for its alleged involvement in the conspiracy to kill his son is still pending in the high court.