Tangkhul bodies demand arrest of culprits, not to claim bodies
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, August 10 2021: The collective Tangkhul Civil Society and Sanakeithei village, while strongly condemning the suspected murder of two Sanakeithei residents, on Tuesday demanded the culprits in the twin murder case, be arrested at the earliest.

The organisations further resolved that their bodies would not be claimed until the authorities concerned arrest the culprits and deliver justice.

The decision was taken during a joint coordination meeting of the civil society organisations and the village public at Sanakeithel on Tuesday.

The two deceased have been identified as Thotreichan Kashung (31), s/o Mothang Kashung and Naosomi Lungleng (29), s/o (L) Lightson Lungleng, both residents of Sanakeithei village.

Sources said that the bodies of the two victims were found in a highly decomposed state inside a bush area on the bank of Ihang River on the southern outskirts of their village, around 3 pm on August 8, after they had gone missing on August 4 last.

Subsequently, an FIR bearing No 11(8) 2021 LTN PS u/s 302 IPC, was lodged at Litan Police station on the same day.

Sanakeithei village chairman Kachang Phungmi, stated, in the report submitted to the Litan Police station, that the two victims were last seen at Dongshum village, Senapati district, about 4 km off Sanakeithei village.

The two were reportedly dropped there around 9 am to 10 am on August 4 by a vehicle belonging to one Bira who was travelling to Imphal on the day.

Suspecting unnatural deaths of the two persons, Tangkhul Civil Society spearheaded by Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and Sanakeithei village have mounted pressure on the state authorities to book the culprits immediately.

Sanakeithei headman V Canaan Zimik said that the nature of their death was highly suspicious.

"This is not natural death but murder.

All the villagers have ample evidences to prove this.

The skulls and teeth of the two victims were found badly damaged, "he said.

The village chief then urged all the neighbouring villages, irrespective of communities in the area to extend cooperation in finding out the culprits of the brutal crimes.

"I, on behalf of Sanakeithei village, also appeal to the state government to immediately look into this serious case," Zimik added.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, TNL president Hopingson A Shimray stated that such act can cause communal misunderstanding and disturb the existing communal harmony.

"We urge upon both the district administrations of Ukhrul and Kangpokpi to arrest the suspected assailants at the earliest and until such time, the CSOs would refuse to take back the dead bodies even after the post mortem," he said.

Shimray continued that from the horrific nature and extent of their injuries, it was clear that the murder was executed in a most cold blooded, barbaric and preplanned manner while they were bound and blindfolded without any provocation.

The civil society also call upon and appeal to the state government and competent law enforcing agencies to take all necessary actions at the earliest before the situation escalated and snowballed into an unwanted law and order problem.

The collective Tangkhul Civil Society resolved to stand in unflinching solidarity with the family of the two victims and the village community and demand that befitting justice is delivered at the earliest in accordance with the law, he said.

The CSOs further demanded that the surviving dependents of the victims are duly compensated with suitable ex-gratia payment.

On August 9, Tangkhul Naga Zingtun Longphang (TNZL) also wrote a petition to Ukhrul district administration, urging it for intervention in the matter.

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