The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, Aug 13: The dead body of Naorem Modhu Singh alias Bikram Singh, 25, son of N Mangoljao Singh of Khoijumantabi village who allegedly died in security custody after he was arrested by the combined security forces of 12 Madras Regiment and CDO team of Bishnupur on the night of August 11 along with his cousin brother was finally accepted by the family and JAC following an agreement reached with the state government last night.
In the meantime, the SP Bishnupur, Jayenta has said one person has been arrested in the connection with the custodial killing of Modhu Singh and an FIR has been lodged against the arrested person.
The arrested person namely Chingtham Ningthem, according to the SP is involved in several anti-people and UG activities. The police officer also revealed that Ningthem’s wrongful information led to the arrest of the cousin brothers of Kumbi, one of whom unfortunately died in the custody of the security forces.
It may be recalled that the deceased Modhu Singh of Khoijumantabi village under Kumbi village was picked up by the combined security forces of 12 Madras Regiment and CDO team of Bishnupur attached to the Kumbi PS on the night of August 11 along with his cousin brother identified as N Bungochandra, 22, from their residence at Khoijumantabi village while both were watching TV in the night.
Later yesterday morning, the local public of Khoijumantabi village staged several forms of agitation over handing over of the dead body of Modhu Singh to the Kumbi police station by the personnel of 12 Madras Regiment in the wee hours along with his cousin brother Bungochandra Singh alive in front of Moirang police station. They also held a public meeting to condemn the killing of Modhu Singh in security custody after he was arrested. In the public meeting at Khoijumantabi village yesterday a JAC was formed in connection with the killing incident.
Thereafter, with assistance from the local MLA, N Mangi Singh the JAC representatives and family members of the deceased met chief minister O Ibobi Singh at his official bungalow and submitted a charter of demands for the arrest and punishment of Chingtham Ningthem and the Kuki militants involved in the incident, to punish the involved army personnel and immediate and adequate compensation to the bereaved family by the concerned authority, unconditional and immediate release of Naorem Bungochandra Singh, cousin brother of the deceased who was arrested jointly by the security forces, and constituting of a Judicial Enquiry on the custodial death of N Modhu Singh.
In the meantime, the memorandum of the JAC further mentioned that the JAC and local public of Khoijumantabi village were suspicious that deceased Bikram and Bungochandra had been arrested as per wrong information provided by one Chingtham Ningthem Singh, 37, a Primary Teacher of Boralaingoubi Govt. LP School and member of a Kuki UG group, and also son of Ch Mani Singh of the same village. The local public earlier witnessed that the suspect Ningthem had been accompanied by some armed cadres of Kuki UG group and was involved in armed threats to some people of the locality.
The memorandum further mentioned that Ningthem along with the Kuki UGs had been executing such monetary demands since a long time and innocent persons of the area had been abducted by the army and sometimes killed as per their wrong information to the army and other security forces.
In the meantime, the chief minister after due consideration of memorandum submitted by the JAC assured to constitute a Magisterial inquiry in order to probe the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Modhu Singh and also promised to take up appropriate action as per the findings of the inquiry.
With this assurance from the chief minister the dead body of Modhu Singh was collected by the family from the RIMS morgue this morning after post mortem.
Besides, the person identified as Chingtham Ningthem of Khoikumntabi village who is the main suspect behind the arrest of deceased Modhu Singh was also reportedly picked up by the Kumbi police today, the source added.
