IMPHAL, Jan 12: An aged man was killed by unknown armed miscreants yesterday at around 10:30 pm near a fish farm at Kakyai Mayai Leikai under Nambol Police Station in Bishnupur district.
The incident happened on the same day the chairman of Board of Secondary Education Manipur, Dr. Naorem Kunjabihari was shot dead at his office chamber located at the high security zone Babupara.
The slain man has been identified as one Chungkham Gambhir, aged 57 years, son of (late) Ch. Chaoba of Kakyai Mayai Leikai.
Family sources said that Gambhir was a simple person who worked as Araangbam (local ceremonial organizer). He was killed by the gunmen while he was staying in a hut near his fish farm which is about 500 feet from his house.
Gambhir’s son Inaoba stated that some unidentified persons came to enquire his father and his elder brother Jiten at around 10 pm saying that they had come to buy fish from their farm. However, the family members remained silent inside their house without responding to them.
The unknown persons kept on calling out Gambhir from near their courtyard. One person from among them again asked the family members if Gambhir had gone to his fish farm. Finally, Gambhir’s daughter hesitatingly answered that she did not know exactly where her father had gone.
The unknown persons left the place after banging at the doors and quickly moved towards the fish farm. After a short while the family members pursued the unknown persons and they heard Gambhir having argument with some people near the hut of his fish farm.
The unknown persons dragged him out of the hut and whisked him away towards a field. When the family members reached the spot the unknown persons fired about 10 rounds in which Gambhir was reportedly killed. Gambhir’s daughter kept on calling out his father in the field amidst darkness. The family members found the lifeless body of Gambhir in the field.
Inaoba stated that the unknown gunmen killed his father just few yards away from them. They would have seen the gruesome incident if it had happened in the daylight.
He further said that there is suspect of involvement of a person who knows the surrounding area and their family very well.
The Police also recovered several empty cases of AK rifle from the spot.
On the same day at around 8:30 pm at Kakyai Makha Leikai, some heavily armed persons claiming to be cadres of a UG group under the command of one Kesho Meitei fired several rounds at the residence of Lairenjam Jiten, aged 40 years, son of L. Nipamacha.
Lairenjam Jiten is working as a member of a local NGO along with the slain Gambhir’s son who is also called Jiten.
Decrying the brutal murder of Chungkham Gambhir, the women of Kakyai held a sit-in-protest today at the Community Hall of Kakyai Mayai Leikai.
Meanwhile, a joint action committee (JAC) has been formed against the brutal killing of Ch. Gambhi of Kakyai with L. Ingocha as the chairman, Ch. Nando as the secretary, Ch. Shanti as the joint secretary and Ch. Lukhoi as the publicity secretary along with five other members.
A public meeting convened today at Kakyai Tonna Kangjeibung has taken several resolutions that the concerned organizations should made clarifications on Gambhir’s killing through press/media, the state government and the police should punish the culprits as per the law, the state government should also look into the grievances of the family members of the deceased person, to prevent entry of strangers into the village from 8 pm onwards and to urge the government to open a security post near the village.
The JAC also resolved not to take the dead body until and unless there is an agreement between the JAC and the state government. It has also decided to launch different forms of agitation till the demands are fully met.
