Abducted army soldier found shot dead
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 18 2023: Family members of a slain Indian Army soldier Serto Thangthang Korn agreed to take his body on Monday after Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured them that stringent actions would be taken against those involved in the killing of the sepoy.

The chief minister also told members of the organisation, which represents the deceased's tribe, that a high-level inquiry would be conducted into the killing of Serto Kom.

"Family members of Thangthang Kom agreed to take the dead body from the JNIMS morgue," said Chungjahao Serto Kom, president of Kom Union, the apex body of the tribe.

"We met our chief minister in the morning at the CM secretariat and placed our demand.

He agreed to conduct a high-level enquiry under an IG-ranked officer in connection with the killing.

Also, the CM assured us to take appropriate actions against those who committed the heinous crime," Chungjahao said.

The Kom Union president also said they were assured that security would be provided to their villages and compensation would be given to the next of kin of the slain sepoy.

"We are clueless about how it happened.

The deceased was an innocent man living a simple life," Chungjahao said.

Serto Thangthang s/o S Aphun was posted with the Defence Security Corps (DSC) platoon at Leimakhong Military Station after retiring from Assam Regiment on October 31, 2018 .

He had been on leave since September 2.As per reports, he was abducted at gunpoint by three unknown miscreants from his house in a white vehicle around 10 am on September 16 and was found shot dead in Khuningtek area under Sagolmang PS early Sunday morning.

It is not yet known who and why Thangthang was killed.

According to a police report, on receiving news of the presence of a male body in Khuningtek area around 6am Sunday, a team of Sagolmang PS went to the location and carried out preliminary investigation.

An inquest of the body was done and taken to JNIMS mortuary for post mortem examination.

Serto suffered two gunshot wounds on his head.

After the post mortem examination, the body was handed over to family members.

In this regard, Sagolmang PS has registered an FIR and investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, Spear Corps, in a post on X (erstwhile Twitter), paid homage to sepoy Serto Thangthang Kom.

"Sepoy Serto had earlier served in the Assam Regiment of the Indian Army and was posted with the DSC Platoon at Leimakhong Military Station.

He was on leave at the time of the incident.

In this hour of grief, the Indian Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and remains committed to their dignity, safety, and well-being," the post stated.

The sepoy, who hailed from Tarung in Imphal West, is survived by his wife, daughter and son.

According to his 10-year-old son, who was the only eyewitness to the crime, three men entered their home while his father and he were working on the porch.

The killing came amid the unceasing violence, and in the wake of the Kom Union Manipur (KUM) reiterating that they would remain as Kom tribe forever and urged people of its own community to remain neutral and not to involve in the ongoing Meitei-Chin/Kuki violence.

Denouncing the killing, people from Kom community staged a sit-in protest at various areas predominately settled by the Kom tribes, including Sinam Kom, Sagang, Komkeirak and Loktak project.

"We strongly condemn the killing of Thangthang after being abducted in front of his little son while his wife was inside the house," said Lalkhomang Serto, president of Komrem Union (KU) a conglomerate of six small ethnic tribe groups, including Kom.

"Even if he had committed mistakes, he should be cautioned or given a chance for correction, but awarding capital punishment forthwith after abduction is too much," Lalkhomang said.

While sharing the grief and sorrow inflicted by the family member, he demanded the government to take stringent action against the culprits according to the law of the land.

Besides Kom, the other Komrem tribes include Kha-ram, Chiru, Aimol, Koiren and Purum.

Retired army officer from the state, Lt Gen L Nishikanta Singh, expressed grief over the killing of the soldier.

Kangpokpi district-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) has also condemned the killing.

On the other hand, mass sit-in protests were staged at Litan Church in Litan Kom village of Chandel district, Sagang Bazar, Kom Keirap Bazar, Moirang Kom, Thayong Kom, Sinam Kom, Neikanlong, Tarung, Guigalong, Chirurem, Grace Colony and Happy Valley.

During the sit-ins, the protestors condemned Thangthang's murder and demanded the person(s) responsible to explain themselves.

The protestors further urged the government to apprehend the culprit(s) involved and award befitting punishment.

The Kom people are a peace-loving indigenous community, the protestors stated and appealed to all concerned not to repeat such acts in future.

Kom Union Manipur president Serto Ahao Kom told the media at Grace Colony, that the abduction and murder of Serto Thangthang has sparked fear and panic among the small Kom community.

The killing cannot be regarded as an isolated incident, he remarked, while asserting that the Kom community is an indigenous, peace-loving community.

Conveying details of the Union and the family members' meeting with the CM earlier in the day, Ahao said the CM was urged to constitute a single member judicial inquiry team led by an 1GP to investigate Thangthang's murder, apprehend the culprit(s) involved and award befitting punishment; provide a suitable government to the late sepoy's family; and deploy additional security to protect minor communities like the Kom.

Following the assurances of the CM, the Union and family members decided to claim his (Thangthang) body on Tuesday for burial, he added.

Komrem Union, North East India also condemned the killing of Serto Thangthang Kom.

It then demanded the authority concerned to deliver justice to the victim at the earliest, while urging the abductors to clarify the reason behind the killing.

It also appealed to all not to communalise Thangthang's killing, while reasserting that the Kom people stands neutral in the present conflict and will always try to sustain peaceful coexistence.

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