IMPHAL, January 10: One of two youths who came to allegedly extort money from a contractor`™s house has been apprehended along with a pistol with live bullets by the villagers. The other escaped taking advantage of the darkness.
The incident happened this morning at around 3:30 at Longa Koirang village neighbouring Sangaithel village in Senapati district on NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam road) under the jurisdiction of Gamnon Sapermeina Police Station.
Villagers who had witnessed the whole episode told the media that on January 7 last at around 8:30 pm two youths who identified themselves as cadres of Kuki Revolutionary Front (KRF) came at the residence of contractor W Khelsochong of Longa Koireng village and demanded Rs 2 lakh extortion.
They left after instructing the contractor to hand over the money through their village chief S Sokhel on January 9 at 3 pm, the villagers said.
As per the instruction the contractor along with the village chief and villagers waited for the two youths to come however they did not turn up on that day, the villagers said.
But today early morning at around 3:30am when the sun still has not risen, they showed up at the contactor`™s house and demanded the money. The people present at the house informed them that the contactor was not home and they also do not have the money, the villagers said.
On hearing that the two armed youths started abusing and beating the people present at the house including women and children. They also expressed their anger and started beating the people around saying that the villagers approached the personals of 8 Assam Rifles of Kotlen post to guard the village, the villagers said.
The villagers retaliated and challenged the two youths. One of them fired two rounds in the air and threaten the villagers. They also tried to take the village chief hostage, the villagers said.
But somehow the villagers succeeded in overpowering the two. One was captured along with a 9mm pistol loaded with 10 live bullets but the other escaped taking advantage of the darkness.
The apprehended person has been identified as David Haokip, 23, son of Thangkhopao Haokip, of Leimakhong NC Phai village.
The villagers said that on questioning he revealed that they are KRA cadres and they extort money in the name of KRF.
Later the village authority handed him over to Kuki Inpi Manipur (Moltamlang) and KIM handed him over to the 8 Assam Rifles.
A police team led by officer-in-charge of Patsoi Police Station and a team from Gamnon Sapermeina Police Station had also arrived at the scene but they refuse to take the youth into custody, informed the villagers.