Mom, Daughter Killed 3 Years Back ; Cops still groping in the dark
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 22 2013: Police Department seems to be clueless about the double murder of Chanbi and her daughter Maneka who were killed more than three years back.

With police still groping in the dark with no clues, there is little hope of filing any charge-sheet in connection with the double murder case.

Angom (O) Chanbi (38) of Phayeng Ching Khunou under Lamsang police station and her eldest daughter Maneka (16) were murdered and their bodies were abandoned on a heap of straws at the Shampha paddy fields, located to the East of Phayeng Ching Khunou.

The corpses were discovered by some cowherds on January 23, 2010 .

As both Chanbi and Maneka were found with their clothes loosened and rumpled, it was suspected that they were raped before being murdered.

The lone house unattended

However, police remain unsuccessful even today to round up a single suspect.

One suspect was pulled up by Lamsang police but he was released after some questioning as he was found innocent.

Before the double murder, Chanbi's husband Khommei had already committed suicide in 2004.Since then Chanbi was shouldering all the responsibility of bringing up their five children; three girls and two boys.

Engaging herself in all kinds of odd jobs, Chanbi struggled hard to send her children to school.

Chanbi's eldest son was not with them for he had already joined a UG group.

Chanbi who was thus struggling for daily bread as well as education of the four children all alone was called out by two individuals in the intervening night of January 12 and 13, 2010 on the pretext that her eldest son wished to see her.

Maneka who was then preparing for Class X Board exam followed her mother.

The mother and the daughter never returned and they remained traceless for around 10 days before their lifeless bodies were found covered by hays over a haystack in Sampha paddy fields.

At that time, Chanbi's second daughter was just 13 years old, second son nine years and the youngest daughter was just eight years old.

The three children are now reading in Class X, Class VII and Class V respectively at North Point Higher Secondary School, Mantripukhri.

While school fees and boarding fees are being borne by Assam Rifles, the grandparents are looking after other requirements of the three children.

Talking with TSE at their Phayeng Ching Khunou home today, Chanbi's second daughter said, "It's disappointing that police are still unable to round up a single suspect in the brutal double murder case of our mother and sister" .

Chanbi's father-in-law Angom Amuthoi who is now around 74 years old cannot walk on his own for he is suffering from paralysis.

Nor he could speak properly.

Angom (O) Manitombi, Chanbi's mother-in-law is 60 years old and she is looking after six children left behind by her two sons and two daughters-in-law.

Apart from working as an agricultural labourer, Manitombi also offers her service in pounding hamei in her daily struggle to meet the basic requirements of her six grand-children.

In a voice choked with emotions, Amuthoi said, "Had I been healthy, the murderers would know the price of their bestial crime" .

"It seems if we have to offer money to police, if the murderers should be apprehended.

We don't have any faith in police", he added.

Confiding that it was really hard to look after the needs of his grand-children, Amuthoi appealed to the concerned authority to extend assistance applicable to the grand-children who belong to Scheduled Caste from the side of Social Welfare Department.

"The little amount I earned after toiling for the whole day is far short of the daily requirements", Manitombi said.

Chanbi's second daughter who is now reading in class X said, "I cannot see the misery of our grandmother.

Many times I thought about giving up formal schooling so that I can help her, but she has been insisting me to study up to class XII" .

She went on to question, "Is Police Department so incompetent that they cannot find any clue to the brutal mother of our mother and sister though it has been more than three years?" .

Although the shattered and poverty-stricken family have lost all their faith in police, they are hopeful that UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Rashida Manjoo who would arrive here on April 28 would surely do something to bring justice in the particular case.

On being enquired at Lamsang police station, it was learnt that FIR 6(1), 2010 was registered in connection with the double murder under IPC Sections 302, 34 but no accused was apprehended.