Imphal, August 11: Peeved with the �deliberate� non-appearance of all the witnesses of 17 Assam Rifles before the ongoing Thangjam Manorama Death Inquiry Commission despite being summoned, lawyers in favour of the victim�s family today decided to abstain from joining the panel further.

The unhappy lawyers, while maintaining that appearance of the AR personnel is a must in establishing the factual events leading to the arrest and subsequent brutal killing of the 32-year old woman, asserted that they would assist the panel only when the Assam Rifles� witnesses turn up before the Commission to testify physically.

Advocates Lakhikanta, Koteshwor and Ngongo among others, who appeared on behalf of the victim�s family and two local bodies categorically stated that the site from where Manorama was picked up has been examined thoroughly, but the developments later that led to her death are yet to be worked out for which examination of the AR witnesses is mandatory.

�We are ready to prove the illegal killing of Manorama� said one of the lawyers while talking to reporters.

In view of this development, the one man panel headed by retired Justice C Upendra, has adjourned the inquiry proceedings till July 18.Meanwhile, the Commission has also issued fresh summons on the five 17 AR personnel through the DGP for their personal appearance on August 18 at 11 am.

The five witnesses listed are CO Col Jagmohon Singh, Naik Subedar Digambar Dutta, Havildar Suresh Kumar, Rifleman Ajit Singh and T Lotha.

It may be recalled here that on August 7, AR authorities filed an application to the panel requesting that the AR witnesses be examined at Kangla as they had received threats from an underground outfit.

On the same day, the panel rejected the plea, but asked the State Government to provide adequate security in and around the premises of State Guest House, where the inquiry is underway, to ensure safety and security of the personnel while giving their testimonies.

Advocate of the Assam Rifles then pleaded that the Commandant would testify on July 9 at noon.

However, not just the Commandant, but also the lawyer of the Assam Rifles failed to turn up before the panel thereby compelling the Commission to issue summons to the CO and other four personnel on July 10.But the AR personnel did not responded to the summon at all.

The counsel of the Assam Rifles today submitted yet another application for re-consideration of the plea that had already been rejected by the panel on August 7.But the Commission outrightly rejected the same maintaining that �I do not know the fearness of the people of Assam Rifles� in giving statements openly.

The Commission has also issued summons to the SDPO of Porompat to appear before it on August at 11 am.

Meanwhile, People�s Action Committee Against Brutal Custodial Killing of Th Manorama Devi has condemned non-co-operation of the Assam Rifles personnel with the inquiry commission and has appealed to all concerned for exerting pressure on the Assam Rifles for availing its key witnesses to testify before the Commission at the earliest possible.

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