IMPHAL, Oct 24: Barely a day after a village chief was shot death in Churachandpur district, unknown assailant shot death another Zilla Parishad member of Utlou Gram Panchayat late last night inside his own residence in front of his wife in Bishnupur district under Nambol Police station.
The victim is identified as one Thokchom Sanayamba, 58, s/o (L) Chandra of Nambol Thiyam Awang Leikai.
The victim is survived by a wife and five children. Apabi Devi, the victim’s wife said that her husband attended a Swasti Puja at the locality and returned home at around 10:30 pm at night. Both of them were having a conversation until some persons came knocking at their door asking for Sanayamba her husband, said Apabi.
Apabi further said that she insisted to her husband that it will be safer for her to answer the door at the late hour of night. However, Sanayamba opened the door and without warning the armed miscreants shot him at a point blank range and fled the area.
Apabi recalled that her husband used to say that he has no enemy but if he was killed it will be politically motivated. Police sources said that the victim was shot by an AK series rifle. Two bullets hitting his right ribs area exited on the other side. Police also recovered two empty cases and one projectile.
Denouncing the killing, a public meeting was held today which was attended by Adakhsya, GP members of Utlou, local bodies at Thiyam Awang Leikai School ground.
The gathering after deliberate discussion formed a Joint Action Committee against the brutal killing and assassination of Thokchom Sanayamba Zilla Parisad member Utlou and adopted various resolutions.
The JAC later resolved not to claim the dead body till government booked the culprits and produced within three days.
Further, the JAC demanded that concerned individuals or organization involved in the killing should clarify the motive behind the killing apart from demanding an ex-gratia of rupees 50 lakhs and a government job to a family member.
It said that if the concerned parties failed to respond to the demands of the JAC it warned that they would launch certain forms of agitations.
The resolution adopted during the meeting was later submitted to the chief minister O Ibobi Singh this evening.