IMPHAL May 13: `I would like to ask the murderers whether they have a mother, a sister or a brother. The animals need to be brought to justice,` stated Konthoujam Radhamani, mother of the brutalized Bishal. Bishal who was released from captivity by cadres of the KRF and is presently hospitalized at RIMS hospital.
He was made to say at gunpoint that he belonged to a valley based UG group, Kangleipak Communist Party.
Minor Konthoujam Bishal (12 yrs) S/O K. Bikom and Radhamani from Haobam Marak, Loirembam Leikai was released on May 12 after two days of torture by KRF near Thingshat village about 5km from Mapou Khullen which comes under Senapati district.
`I am not going back to school, I am afraid, my body hurts all over,` Bishal told this reporter at RIMS.
He vomited when the fact came up that both his companions were beaten to death by the KRF cadres.
Bishal was staying with his maternal uncle, Momo Tongbram in Mapou Khullen for nearly three years and is a Class 6 student of the Needy Home Academy where his uncle teaches Mathematics.
On Sunday, the minor had gone out with two other masons to see the countryside as there was nothing much to do that day. While going towards the hillside, they had asked for directions towards Sekmai, and a village elder had pointed them towards the direction.
Bishal had phoned his mother till 4.30 pm that they were lost in the jungle but were trying to find their way back. After that, the mobile phone remained in switched off mode.
Bishal further recounted that they met some 10 persons in the jungle, who were wielding swords and had forcibly blindfolded and tied them up.
They were picked by the KRF militants near Thingshat village alleging them to be KCP members. `I repeatedly told them that I am a student but they point a gun to my forehead and force me to say I joined the KCP group since the last three days and recorded this statement.`
`After the three persons went missing on Sunday, three search parties went searching the following morning and one of the groups which included Tombi, Mocha and Tomba were again accosted by the cadres and mercilessly beaten up by the KRF militants.
Even when they said that they were a search party for the three missing persons, the KRF cadres denied having any knowledge of the missing persons or of the incident.` said Bishal`™s uncle.
On Tuesday, the militants called the headman of Maphou Khullen in the afternoon and gave instructions on who can come and meet them at Thingshat Village to take the boy back.
Family members and some locals numbering 10 people reached the spot at around 5PM.
Bishal`™s mother Radhamani recounted , `They said the duo died during interrogation,` without any remorse as if killing two innocent persons was nothing to them. They are animals, I fainted when they brought my son out in such a horrendous state. They are not humans,`™ she said.
They informed us that the two persons namely Abung alias Dayananda Moirangthem from Patsoi part-lll and Maibam Premananda from Haoram Keirel Lamshang were affiliated to the KCP groups and they had died during interrogation, T. Momo said.
Bishal narrates that his hand and legs were tied and beaten by several people. `My face was covered in a cloth and they poured water over my head, they all reeked of alcohol,` he said.
The militants gave Rs. 5000 to his mother for his treatment later. Radhamani said that the glass which they offered water stank of alcohol and many of them seemed to be inebriated.
After receiving information regarding the incident, a combined force of police and Assam Rifles cordoned the area and arrested 8 KNF cadres allegedly involved in the murder case today.
Further acting on information, the two dead bodies of Abung and Premanda were exhumed from two different locations in the area.
The two dead bodies are presently deposited at RIMS morgue.
In regard to the murder of the masons by the KRF, local residents of Patsoi area blocked the National Highway 37 near HVS brick field today demanding that the criminals be arrested and brought to justice.