Assassination of police office Chingtham Anand
NIA given nod to interrogate suspects
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 28 2024: The NIA has been given a nod to interrogate persons arrested in connection with the assassination of Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand Kumar and further obtain expert opinion on RDX seized from their possession. The permissions were granted by the Special Judge NIA Manipur after it heard two applications filed by the NIA today.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chingtham Anand Kumar was killed on October 31, 2023 at Moreh during the peak of the ongoing conflict in Manipur.

He was overseeing the construction of a helipad at Eastern Shine School ground when he was gunned down.

The bullet hit Chingtham Anand Kumar in the abdomen. Moreh at that time saw frequent intense attacks on State security personnel by heavily armed Kuki militants.

State security forces launched several operations to nab suspects who killed SDPO Ch Anand Kumar and arrested as many as 9 suspects including a Myanmar National presently lodged at Moreh KLP temporary prison.

The arrested persons accused of assassinating the police officer are Letngam Lupho (55) of Yangoupokpi village Moreh, Jamkhohao Lupho (47) of Yangoupokpi village Moreh, George Holkhosat Khongsai (20) of Munnom village, Letgoulen Doungel (25) of Zion Veng, Jangkhohao Haokip (34) of Zion Veng, Ma Mong Shu (26) of Namphalong Myanmar, Philip Khaikholal Khongsai (45) of New Moreh Ward Number 8 and Hemkholal Mate (35) of K Moulsang village.

The State security forces first arrested prime suspects Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and Hemkholal Mate.

Philip Khaikholal Khongsai is an ex-Army man and executive member of Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal and lea- der of Moreh Defence Force.

Hemkholal Mate is chief of K Moulsang village.

With the permissions given today, the NIA will be interrogating the accused persons at the KLP temporary prison for a period of 7 days.

While the Court gave the nod for interrogation of the accused persons, it also allowed the NIA to examine RDX seized from them at Forensic Science Laboratory.

Notably, the case was taken over by the NIA from Moreh police.

During the hearing today, the Special Public Prosecutor submitted to the Court that the chargesheet had already been filed by the Investigating Officer of Moreh police station before the case' documents were handed over to the NIA.

The Special PP submitted that accused persons are yet to be examined by the NIA since it took over the case and the seized RDX are required to be sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory at Guwahati for expert opinion.

The Court, after hearing the submissions, allowed the NIA to interrogate the accused persons and examine the RDX.

The Court then directed the Superintendent of the temporary prison at KLP to make necessary arrangements to facilitate the interrogation.

Comment