IMPHAL/THOUBAL, December 16: The accused in the alleged trafficking of two lads including a 13-year-old from Yairipok Huidrom Leikai were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thoubal today. Both have been remanded to police custody for another five days by the CJM for further police interrogation.
Laishram Ojit, 30, son of Shyamjai and Laishram Achou, 57 were earlier arrested by the Yairipok Police for their alleged involvement in alleged trafficking of the two young lads outside the State.
The victims Laishram Lukhoi alias Basanta, 21, son of L Kulabi Singh and Huidrom Pratap, 13, son of H Akajao Singh have both remained missing since December 2 after reportedly accompanying Ojit.
Meanwhile, on learning that the two accused will be produced before the court today, a huge mob had gathered outside the court premises at Thoubal Khangabok and demanded that the two be strongly punished.
The mob further demanded the custody of the two and even tried to force their way into the court premise, however, the police managed to control the mob and prevented any untoward incident from happening.
According to one of the protestors, Achou is a repeat offender and been to the jail on several counts. Putting him in the jail will not bring any desired result nor will the lads be found, instead the police should continue to interrogate him, the protestor added.
Meanwhile, the JAC formed in connection with the missing of the two lads also appealed to the government to look into the alleged trafficking of the boys and to find them.
Speaking to media persons today at the Manipur Press Club, co convenor of the JAC Meeraguni Devi said every section of the society should condemn such incident of human trafficking.
Elaborating further, she said the two had accompanied the accused Laishram Ojit Singh on the day.
Meeraguni said Ojit had taken them along with another 13 year old local boy identified as only Jetlee offering jobs and promising some advance payment, however, on the way he left Jetlee saying that there was not enough money to get the bus tickets for all of them.
Since that day the two lads have failed to return home, she lamented.
After the lads failed to return even after three days, the locals launched a massive man-hunt and then on December 7 made a complaint to the Yaripok Police. The same day, Ojit was summoned to the police station and interrogated during which he claimed that the two have already been trafficked to Moreh, she said.
Stating that the parents of the two lads are totally broken both emotionally and physically even requiring medical attention, the co-convenor further urged the concerned authority to conduct operations to save the lads.
The missing juvenile Huidrom Pratap is a class IX student and was preparing for his exam when he went missing.