Imphal, April 03 2009: Along with registration of a case formally, an SP of the premier investigating agency CBI who descended at Imphal today has started investigation into the incident of abduction and subsequent bludgeoning to death of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan and his two sub-ordinate staff namely Revenue Mandal Yumnam Token and driver Aribam Rajen Sharma by armed cadres of NSCN (IM) .

Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, an official source informed that the SP of the CBI had been specifically entrusted with the task after an order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on March 24 .

The State Government had decided to rope in the service of the premier investigating agency to probe into the incident, which had evoked wide spread condemnation ,after a Cabinet decision in this regard.

With the CBI taking over the charge of the investigation, a case has been registered formally and Ganesh Verma, an SP of the CPI who has been entrusted specifically with the case today arrived at Imphal and started the investigation.

Soon after his arrival Ganesh Verma met the officials of the State Government and taken possession of all the documents and informations related to the case.

To aid in the investigation, the State Home Department had also given instruction to the DGP for issuing an order directing the SPs of Ukhrul and Senapati District to hand over all the documents related to the police inquiry conducted into the incident and co-operate with the CBI in its investigation.

The CBI has send SP Ganesh to Imphal with the specific purpose of investigating in the sensational triple murder, the source reiterated.

It may be recalled here that the mastermind of the triple murder Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen and his two accomplices namely Major Ashang and town commander Apho Sibo of the NSCN (IM) are currently in the custody of the outfit.

The other three staff who have been abducted along with Dr Kishan but were set free by the abductors were afterward reportedly 'rescued' by Assam Rifles and Police from Tolloi village in Ukhrul district while the driver of the Bolero used in the abduction and three other persons who alleged helped in hiding the abducted persons have been taken into judicial custody.

According to another reliable source, there had been an instance of attack on Dr Kishan by some villagers on his way to Kasom Khullen in connection with creation of a 'bogus' village on November 14, 2008 .

Following an application submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal by one K Kaphung praying for grant of a separate village under the name of Hongbei, SDO Dr Kishan had ordered to conduct an inquiry.

The inquiry report of the SDO had pointed out that Hongbei village is to be carved out from Chongdan village and the creation of a new village within its jurisdiction has been strongly objected by the Chongdan village authority apart from the fact that no civil organisation of the Tangkhul community including student organisations have ever recommended the proposed creation of new village.

Consequently the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul issued an order on September 29, 2008 declaring that Hongbei village under the leadership of K Khaphung is not a recognised village in Kasom Khullen sub-division.

The order of the DC had also stated that his office could not recommend to the Government for recognition of the new village and the Government had not issued any Gazette notification in this regard.

Subsequent to derecognition of carving out a new village, SDO Dr Kishan and some of his staff were attacked on their way to Kasom Khullen on November 14 last year by around 40 people at Hongbei and the matter was duly reportedly to the DC and the SP of Ukhrul.

In the status report of the case forwarded to the officials concerned, Kasom Khullen Police maintained that accused K Kaphung did not responded to the summon send and it was not possible to apprehend as the police station is understaffed and totally unarmed with no official vehicle and wireless communication device.

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