Bystander shot dead as cop-woman scuffle at Pallel
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 24 2022: A woman has been killed after a policeman working as a radio telecom operator at Pallel police station opened fire during a brawl at Pallel Mamang Leikai on Friday.

The person involved in the crime has been arrested by Kakching police and remanded to police custody for 6 days after being produced before the duty magistrate on Saturday.

The deceased woman has been identified as Moirangthem Jimee Devi (36), w/o M Kiran of Pallel Mamang Leikai while the policeman who opened fire is said to be one Kongkham Birjit, son of K Nabadwip of Mayang Imphal Konchak Maning Leikai.

Jimee left behind a six-year old daughter, said local sources, adding that her one and half year son had died recently.

According to reports received from the place of incident, around 9pm on Friday, while Jimee and one of her friends were coming out to buy pan from the shop of one T Tarubi at Pallel Mamang Leikai, a heated exchange of words broke out between Birjit and Tarubi in front of her shop following which Birjit fired at Tarubi but missed and hit Jimee, instead.

Jimee was rushed to Jeevan hospital in Kakching but succumbed to her injuries.

Locals from in and around Pallel Bazar then stormed Pallel police station and demanded to hand over the 'killer' to them.

Following the failure to fulfil the demand, the irate mob set the abandoned Pallel police station on fire and also reportedly caused injuries to three police personnel.

Soon after the gun shot was fired, Birjit fled from the area.

Later, people of the locality destroyed the shop of Tarubi and also burnt down the old Pallel police outpost.

A scuffle took place between the police personnel who arrived there after the incident and tried to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas bullets.

With the arrival of additional forces from other police stations and outposts, the police managed to disperse the mob.

Three fire tenders from the Kakching district were also pressed into service to control the fire but the fire caused irreparable damage to old police station.

Meanwhile, a joint action committee (JAC) with 38 members, which was formed in connection with the incident, protested the firing incident and staged sit-in protest at Pallel Keithel by blocking the Imphal-Moreh road.

The JAC has demanded termination of service of Birjit and initiate befitting punishment against him.

The JAC also urged the government to provide a suitable government job to one of the family members of Jimee in addition to paying ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of Jimee.

A memorandum has also been submitted to the chief minister in this regard and a positive response has been received, the JAC said.

The body of the deceased has been kept at JNMS mortuary for conducting post mortem.

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