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

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Manipur
As part of “Operation New
Kangleipak”, armed cadres of the KYKL
abducted eight teachers including two lady
teachers of the National Institute of Open
Schools, Manipur, on the night of 24
November 2004. Before releasing them,
members of the KYKL shot at the legs of
the six male teachers and caned the two
women as punishment for allowing
malpractices in the ongoing NIOS
examinations. The teachers were accused
of collecting Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 from
each student while selling written answer
scripts and xerox copies of the same to
students and allowed mass copying during
class X and XII examinations. 93
On 2 December 2004, the Manipur
Human Rights Commission took
cognizance of a petition by Kuki
Movement for Human Rights seeking
steps to rein in the NSCN (IM), which
allegedly served quit notices on Kuki
residents of two villages in Ukhrul district
on 23 November 2004. Some NSCN (I-M)
activists went to Thawai village on 23
November 2004 and ordered the villagers
to leave before Christmas or face dire
consequences. 94
iii. Kidnapping
On 29 June 2004, three unidentified
youth brandishing pistols stopped two
Imphal bound trucks and kidnapped their
drivers and handymen at Keithelmanbi
area in Kangpokpi in Senapati district. The
handymen, Thangjam Hemanta Singh and
Md Khan were released on the same day.
The abductors demanded Rs 5 lakh for the
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safe release of the two truck drivers, one of
them identified as Inaobi. 95
On 1 July 2004, Kaphunchung L.
Kalmei, the Deputy Director of Manipur
Commerce and Industry Department, was
reportedly abducted by armed members
belonging to the Human Rights and
Protection Guild from his New Lambu
Lane residence in Imphal. Claiming
responsibility for abduction, the outfit
accused the official of misappropriating
crores of rupees sanctioned by the Union
textile ministry under the Centre’s Din
Dayal scheme. 96
On 8 November 2004, three PHED
officials- Assistant Engineer K Sarat, SO
Ksh Tombi and SO W Bhaskar were
abducted by the1 Kuki Liberation Army.
They were set free on 11 December 2004
following an alleged understanding reached
between the KLA and the PHED authority. 97
On 13 December 2004, suspected
cadres of the KYKL abducted Manipur
University vice-chancellor N Bijoy Singh
and registrar R K Ranjan. 98 The outfit
reportedly demanded Rs 1 crore for their
release. 99 They were released on the
morning of 18 December 2004 after being
shot at their legs allegedly for
manipulating the selection of the director
for the Audio Visual Research Centre of
the university. A KYKL spokesman said
the officials were ‘’punished’’ as part of
the outfit’s “Operation Langleipak’ to
‘’cleanse’’ the educational system. Both
the V-C and the registrar underwent
surgery at the Regional Institute of
Medical Science Hospital. 100
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