IMPHAL, May 3: Even as demonstrations and demand for justice in the alleged murder case of a state student Richard are making headlines in the state, parents of another Manipuri student who died under controversial circumstances in Chennai last year renewed their demand for a proper investigation and booking of those found guilty in the case.
Okram Laba, 19 a second year student of bachelor of computer applications in the Hindustan College of Arts and Science in Chennai was found dead in his hotel room on June 23 last year.
His head was found wrapped inside a polythene bag, tied around the neck with a cloth and belt.
After preliminary investigation, the local police said the student committed suicide and the case was as good as closed when his parents visited the institute and the local police station last month.
Speaking to media persons during a press conference held this evening at the Manipur Press Club, family members of Okram Laaba said soon after a visit and talking to institute authorities and some students, and on examining the hostel room and getting the post mortem report, the parents suspect foul play.
“It is a clear case of murder using a pillow with his head wrapped in a polythene bag and we suspect one former roommate of my son named Ashwin, a Sri Lankan and the hostel warden. We want a proper inquiry to find out the truth in the case,” he further said.
The post mortem report said the cause of death was suffocation and the viscera reported to be negative of drug or other poison, he further informed.
The parents said Laaba spoke to his father and mother during the night of June 22 and he was in a cheerful mood.
One Manipuri girl student studying in a medical institute in Chennai spoke to Laaba over the cell phone at 11.30 am of June 23 about admission of a relative of the girl student at Laaba’s institute. Laaba told the girl that he was attending classes, he further informed.
He further said that even though the police had said that Laaba had committed suicide after locking the door from inside, he found the glass window of the hostel room where the student had allegedly committed suicide to be broken.
Indramani Singh and his wife Sunita Devi returned Imphal on April 30.
The parents said everyone knew about Laaba’s death even before the parents were informed by the institute at 2.30 pm of June 23.
He further said that someone had already uploaded the information about his son’s death on the Facebook, even before the family had heard about the news.
He has further renewed the demand for a proper investigation into the case.