annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Manipur
PIB Defence Wing in a statement said that
the two were killed in a shootout with the
Assam Rifles personnel and that they
recovered two 9 mm pistols and assorted
ammunition. On the other hand, family
members stated Thangkhopao was
engaged in carpentry work while
Lalengthang was a farmer. 23
On 31 May 2004, the body of
Pheiroijam Sanajit, a relative of Manipur’s
Food and Civil Supplies Minister
Pheiroijam Parijat Singh, 24 was recovered
at Mahajon corner situated between
Senjam Chirang and Phumlo under
Sekmai police station. PIB (Defence
Wing) in a statement said the deceased
was killed in an encounter with the
security forces. However, the family
members of the deceased alleged that
security personnel had picked up Sanajit
from his residence at about 1 am on 31
May 2004. They kicked open the door of
the house and dragged him out from his
bed without issuing an arrest memo.
Family members also alleged that though
Sanajit was attired in a Khudei at the time
of his arrest, they found him clad in
camouflage at the morgue of Regional
Institutes of Medical Sciences, Imphal.
They observed that camouflage uniform
did not fit him. The victim suffered
multiple bullet wounds on the chest and
stomach. 25 Following public protests, the
Army authorities reportedly instituted an
inquiry on 2 June 200426 but the family
members refused to accept the dead body.
On 3 June 2004, the police dumped the
body on the courtyard of Sanajit’s house.
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But the Joint Action Committee refused to
accept the body. Later Sanajit’s family was
allegedly pressured by the police to
perform the last rites at the local
crematorium. 27
On 6 June 2004, the 38th Assam
Rifles personnel reportedly gunned down
two alleged Kuki National Front (Military
Council) cadres identified as sergeant
major Hekho Haokip of Molphei Tampak
and Haopu of Churachandpur town. The
Assam Rifles authorities, in an official
release, claimed that they were killed in an
encounter at Bungte Chiru village. The
villagers however alleged that the troops
entered the Bungte Chiru village in the
wee hours of 6 June 2004 and cordoned
the entire village. The troops then called
out all male persons of the village to the
village playground and conducted
verification. After singling out the two
alleged KNF (MC) cadres, the troops shot
them dead later at around 9.15 near the
village. After killing the two, the Assam
Rifles troops also picked up four innocent
villagers - Jamkhota Luphou, son of
Satkhai of Maphou dam, Thangchou
Vaiphei son of Touthang of Bethelpai
village near Maphou Dam, Rengner Chiru
son of Janru of Bungte Chiru village and
Seiminthang son of late Satcaho of
Tuibong village, Churachandpur. While
Rengner Chiru was released on the same
day, the other three were reportedly
handed over to the Bishenpur police
station on 7 June 2004. 28
45-year-old Ashang Tangkhul, who
ran a roadside eatery at Litan, was found