IMPHAL, January 29: The Working Committee of the Apunba Lup has said it will be the right thing for the State government to provide security to Manipur Police head constable Thounaojam Herojit who has confessed to killing Sanjit on July 23, 2009.
Recounting the series of incidents leading to the confession of the head constable before the media, it said on July 23, 2009, a pregnant woman who had come to Khwairamband Bazar with a child was shot dead in the middle of the bazar and shortly after Chungkham Sanjit Meetei of Khurai was also shot dead inside Maimu Pharmacy at BT Road.
It said based on several wrong reports of the Manipur Police Sanjit was claimed to be a terrorist and an extortionist and was even ridiculed during a Manipur Assembly session.
Following a series of reports accompanied by photographs carried by the Tehelka magazine showing Sanjit being taken inside Maimu Pharmacy and later lying dead, people of the State has been demanding punishment of the police personnel involved in the killing of Rabina and Sanjit.
In its bid to subdue the public reaction to the killings, the State government had resorted to several violent measures including the use of brute force, rubber bullets and even live bullets against the agitating public, it said.
Not only this but, several persons including elderly women were arrested under the National Security Act and put behind bars during the public movement, it said.
However, unable to control the uprising, the government had handed over the case to the CBI following which nine police personnel including an Inspector were charge-sheeted, the statement continued.
A few days back the national media has reported that head constable Herojit has confessed to have shot dead Sanjit with the pistol issued to him and that Sanjit was unarmed at the time and the order to kill Sanjit was given to him by the then Additional SP Ak Jhaljit.
Reports are also emerging, now, stating that before the act of killing Sanjit, the then Additional SP had informed both the CM and the then DGP of Sanjit, it said.
Following the confession of the head constable, the CBI has also reportedly said that it will take the required actions including reopening of the inquiry if the confession is found to be true. The Union Home Minister has said he will look into the issue and sought a report from the State government on the fake encounter case, it said.
The Minister of State Home Kiren Rijiju has also assured that if the claims are true than he will ensure that the State police provide protection to Herojit and at the same time the national Human Rights Commission has also sought a report on the case, it added.
The statement said the State government should also provide proper security to Herojit as it is evident that further confession from him will shed more light in the fake encounter case. People should also laud Herojit’s confession, it added.
