Three from Ukhrul assaulted by unknown gunmen
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, December 05 2023:
In a shocking incident, three men from Ukhrul district belonging to Tangkhul community were allegedly beaten by unidentified armed miscreants in Imphal on the night of December 3.The three men were going to Ukhrul from Imphal in a Scorpio vehicle when they were stopped at Sawombung by womenfolk for checking their identity.
After their identities were verified, five armed miscreants whisked them away in a white gypsy and beat them black and blue.
On Tuesday, three victims were taken to District Hospital, Ukhrul for medical check-up after complaining of chest pain.
A medical exam revealed that two of the victims had significant bruising on their buttocks, while the third victim had bruising on the right arm and right leg.
There are suspicions that the victims had been struck with an object as hard as possible, as their symptoms suggested.
Subsequently, Ukhrul Police registered an FIR No 25(12)2023/UKL-PS, u/s 339/352/326/338/153-A/34-IPC & 25(l-b) Arms Acts in connection with the incident.
As narrated by one of the victims, the meira paibi activists were appealing to the attackers to let them go since they had identified them.
However, the attackers forcibly took them away to another place and more people joined in assaulting them.
The victim said that they were then taken to a nearby bridge and made to endure a harsh interrogation by the attackers.
"During the interrogation, we were made to lie down and beaten until our skin was black and blue," he said.
Moreover, the attackers accused them of being a spy or informant of Kuki, which they denied.
Inspite of them telling the truth, they were continuously threatened with the guns the attackers carried with them, by counting from 1 to 10, he related.
The miscreants further accused the victims of wearing a 'magnetic hat clip ball marker' which was used as a symbol of Kuki and they took it away from them as well, he said.
"They even placed a gun at our neck and threatened to shoot us.
After beating us black and blue, they took us to another location and forced us to run away, but we objected," the victim said.
"We were eventually spared when a guy on Activa called up a Tangkhul lady with the loudspeaker on.
She was able to confirm our identities and villages.
Upon hearing this, the miscreants released us and allowed us to proceed to Ukhrul.
By then, it was already 1:00 am, he said.
"Fearing for our safety, we did not report it to the police in time.
However, on Tuesday, we lodged a complaint to the police through the SP Ukhrul" added the victim.