Prime accused among 3 held in Lilong murder case
Mob demolishes house of murder accused; Bodies condemn murder
Source: Chronicle News Service

Thoubal, December 28 2021: Thoubal District Police has arrested three people including the prime accused in connection with the death of a 21-year-old girl, whose body was found along the river bank near Thambal Academy English School in Lilong Haoreibi Makha Leikai Konjil under Lilong police station on Monday morning.

The arrested main accused has beep identified as one Chesam Sirajur Rahman (27) s/o Siraj Ahmed of Lilong Haoreibi Makha Leikai, while the two partners in crime are Chesam Mastura (23) and Chesam Musa (21).Both are younger siblings of Sirajur and were arrested for not reporting the crime despite having knowledge of the same.

All three accused were produced before the court of CJM Thoubal on Tuesday, which remanded them to 8 days in police custody for further investigation.

Briefing media persons in this regard at his office on Tuesday, Thoubal District Superintendent of Police (SP) Jogeshchandra Haobijam stated that the victim's father filed a missing complaint to Lilong PS on December 23 at 9 am, informing that his daughter has gone missing since 9.30pm December 22 and requested the police to trace her whereabouts.

Based on the complaint, police launched a rigorous search operation.

Amidst this, the body of the victim, suspected to have been dumped after sexual assault, was found along the river bank near the said School on Monday around 7.45 am.

A case under Section 302/376/34 of IPC was registered in this regard and an investigation launched to apprehend the person(s) involved in the crime.

The SP further informed that the police had been tracking the whereabouts of the suspected people since the day the missing complaint was filed.

As such, the main accused in the case was identified and subsequently arrested early Monday morning.

The accused, Sirajur has already confessed to murdering the victim.

Appealing to the people to cooperate with police in further investigation, SP Jogeshchandra stated that appropriate action will be taken up to ensure befitting punishments are awarded to the accused as per the law and thus, urged against resorting to mob violence.

Meanwhile, speaking to newspersons, Arshad Ali, the convenor of the JAC formed in connection with the murder case, appreciated the CM, Lilong AC MLA and the police department for speedy arrest of the person(s) involved in the case.

He then urged for arresting all those involved in the crime, while stating that JAC will decide on future course of action after consulting with the people.

On the other hand, an enraged mob demolished and set fire to the house of the main accused Sirajur on Tuesday morning.

Many civil society organisations of the state have strongly condemned the brutal murder of the 21-year old girl and demanded stringent punishment of all those involved in the crime.

Condemning the murder, a statement issued by Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba, Manipur (PLMPAM) president L Memchoubi said that women of the state are today unbearable to the continuous crimes being committed against women and children and hence the government should initiate special measures to tackle gender-based crimes.

She also said that PLMPAM will extend support to the JAC formed against killing of the Lilong girl.

All Manipur Muslim Girl Students' Union also condemned the brutal murder of the girl and demanded punishment of all those involved in the crime.

Crime against women and children in the state continues as government failed to punish criminals involved in such crimes in the past, union president Singamayum Samina Sheikh said and urged government to punish the criminal in a befitting manner.

She also declared that the union will support and take Cart in whatever agitation lunched by the JAC formed against killing of the Lilong girl.

All Manipur Women's Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA) also condemned the killing of Lilong girl and demanded befitting punishment to all those involved in the killing.

All Manipur Muslim Students' Association and All Meitei-Pangal Students' Union of Manipur also condemned the rape and murder of the girl and insisted that the guilty ones should be made to repent for their beastly acts.

Students' Union of Kangleipak (SUK) condemned the brutal murder of the Lilong girl, who was a BA 6th semester student at Lilong Haoreibi College, and demanded immediate booking of all the culprits and initiation of exemplary punishment against all those involved.

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