Imphal, February 01: With most of them yet to recover from the trauma and fearing the reprisal from security forces on the other hand, people of Umathel village have not been able to come out to give their statements to the inquiry officer in connection with the September 30 incident of 2007 .

In the aftermath of the ambush laid by armed cadres of the proscribed PREPAK on troopers of 21 Assam Rifles on September 30, 2007 which left one jawan killed, incensed AR personnel unleashed a reign of terror and beat up many villagers brutally.

Protesting the action of the AR personnel, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had been filed in the Gauhati High Court jointly by Human Rights Alert, Threatened Indigenous People's Society and Centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) on October 2007 .

Acting on the PIL, the Gauhati High Court had issued an order on December 17 of the same year directing the State Government to institute an inquiry into the incident.

Consequently, the inquiry committee instituted with Deputy Inspector of General Police M Karnajit had issued numerous summons asking the villagers to give their statements.

However, only four of the villagers have responded.

When a team of mediapersons from Imphal went to Umathel to find out why the villagers are unwilling to give their statements, it came to light that even if they have suffered the brutality of the Assam Rifles, yet they are apprehensive of coming out to give their statements firing of possible reprisals.

Talking to mediapersons on condition of anonymity, a 30-year old victim who works in a private school and has a young daughter to look after, said although he wants to come out and give his statement on the incident, he is apprehensive of the consequences in the family after giving the statement.

'I never know when the security personnel would come and knock at my door.

So I cannot speak the truth against the security forces', he said.

Echoing the same sentiment, another victim said he was lucky to survive and now always pray to God that such incident does not recur.

Another person who sustained severe injuries in the same incident said that what he wants is to live peacefully along with his family members and not some compensations.

Meanwhile, according to a reliable source, in the affidavit submitted, the Assam Rifles has asserted that none of its personnel had committed such brutalities as alleged and the charges have been levelled just to tarnish its image.

In connection with the prevailing situation at Umathel, executive director of Human Rights Alert Babloo Loitongbam observed that it would be the right step on the part of the villagers to extend their support and come out to give their true statements of the incident to the police inquiry.

Babloo pointed out that Indian Constitution does not allow any of the citizen of the country to be beaten up like some animals nor any provisions in the Armed Forces Special Power Act to commit excesses on innocent people.

In the Umathel incident, 21 AR have blatantly violated the 'dos' and 'don'ts' laid down by the Supreme Court in relation to AFSPA.

People should protest against act of the security forces, he exhorted.

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