Rabina, Sanjit recalled on death anniversary
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 23 2021: The 12th death anniversary of Thokchom Rabina and Chungkham Sanjit was observed on Friday in a low key manner and in adherence to the SOPs for COVID-19, with only the members of Working Committee Apunba Lup (WCAL), JAC concerned and family members of the departed in attendance.

Offering floral tributes to photos of the Th Rabina and Ch Sanjit was the main event of the death anniversary which was held in the respective homes of the two, said a statement of WCAL.

On the occasion, WCAL co-ordinator Phulindro Konsam stated that the AFSPA was imposed in the hill districts of Manipur in 1960 before it was imposed to the whole State on September 8, 1980.Since then security forces have been violating right to life and dignity of the people with the immunity given by this Act in the name of repressing insurgencies, he charged.

Phulindro also remembered Valley Rose from Ukhrul and Sanjita from Jiribam, who he said are victims of the atrocities of security forces among the many.

Rabina, Sanjit recalled on death anniversary

"People are still remember how 17 Assam Rifles personnel mercilessly killed Th Manorama after forcefully pulling her up from her place on July 11, 2004.The excesses of the AR was condemned by people from across the globe,' he added.

Claiming that State commandos are not an exception to this misuse of power, Phulindro claimed that the Khwairamband incident of July 23, 2009 remains a big issue even today.

On this day in 2009, Th Rabina succumbed to bullet injury fired by commandos in broad daylight while Ch Sanjit from Khurai was gunned down inside a pharmacy at BT Road in a fake encounter moments later, he claimed.

Saying that the then Chief Minister, instead of condemning the incident, asserted that killing Sanjit was the only option available, Phulindro maintained that the excesses of the police was exposed by Tehelka magazine with photographs showing that killing of Sanjit was a fake encounter and a crime against humanity.

Those who demanded justice for Rabina and Sanjit were tortured by the State force by firing live bullets and arresting them under NSA, he charged and and added that the case was later handed to CBI due to unabated pressure from the public, following which 9 police personnel including an Inspector were charge-sheeted.

He also said that one of the accused Herojit had admitted to have killed Sanjit using a service gun.

The case was reopened following strong pressure from the family members of Sanjit and WCAL in 2017, but the progress of the case is still not known to the public, he continued.

Continuing that the Supreme Court had recently directed formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases of fake encounter in Manipur, he asked what has the Government done so far to deliver justice to the victims of fake encounters.

He then urged the State Government and authority concerned to take befitting actions against the police personnel involved in the Khwairamband incident.