Imphal, December 23: In a significant ruling the Additional Session Judge, Manipur East (Fast Track court) M Ibohal has today referred the case of the infamous Heirangoithong Massacre in which 13 civilians were mowed down by CRPF personnel in March 1984 to Lok Adalat.

The order was passed after the court perused the observations of the parties in addition to hearing the submissions of counsels on behalf of the plaintiffs as well as the defendants.

While dispersing the case the First Track Court ordered that thp Lok Adalat should be conducted and heard by the Manipur Legal Services Authority.

Mention may be made here that 13 civilians were killed and 31 others injured when personnel of 55 BN CRPF fired indiscriminately on March 14, 1984 at Heirangoithong.

After the incident, a one man inquiry commission headed by late Y Ibotombi, the then District and session Judge maintained in his report that the Sl Sushil Kumar and constables PP Kumaran and Jagdishchandra of 55 BN CRPF were responsible in the gruesome killing.

Later families of the victims both deceased and injured had filed civil suits before the subordinate judge seeking Rs 10 lakhs each of the 13 killed and Rs 5 lakhs for the injured persons as compensation.

After hearing the cases in different Courts even upto the Supreme Court, the Case had finally been referred back to the First Track Court.

Subsequently the First Track Court had on Oct 1 gave some queries to bath the plaintiffs as well as the defendants.

It asked the CRPF authorities to give reasons as to why they should not compensate the amount claimed by the plaintiffs.

The court asked the State Govt to submit its action taken report after the Commission inquiry report submitted on June 15, 1985.

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