Imphal, September 07 2017: With regard to two cases of fake encounters, the High Court of Manipur has directed the State Government and the Central Government to pay compensation of Rs 5 (five) lakh each to the petitioners .
A division bench of the High Court of Manipur comprising of Acting Chief Justice N Kotiswar and Justice Kh Nobin issued an order to this effect today and the compensation amounts should be paid within four months .
According to a press release issued by Human Rights Law Network Director Meihoubam Rakesh, one Khumukcham Thoiba alias Tomba was arrested by police commandos from his house located at Mahou Tera Wangoo Lamkhai, Chandel district at around 3 pm of January 19, 2009 .
Even as police claimed that Kh Thoiba alias Tomba was killed in an encounter and one 9 mm pistol was recovered from the encounter site, his wife Leivon Rosmi Kom filed a writ petition at the High Court which instituted an enquiry through the District Judge, Manipur West to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Thoiba alias Tomba .
After extensive enquiry, the District Judge submitted his report pointing out that Thoiba was picked up his house and killed in a fake encounter at Keirak Leirak Achouba by a combined team of Manipur Police Commando and 21 Assam Rifles .
In the second case, one Khumanthem Ajitkumar alias Naoba of Karong Mamang Leikai, Imphal West was apprehended by a team of 19 Rajput Rifles (Bikaner) from his house in the intervening night of March 14 and 15, 2004 .
Later 19 Rajput Rifles furnished a report to Sekmai police station claiming that Ajitkumar alias Naoba was killed in an encounter and one revolver with six live rounds were recovered .
Challenging the encounter story, Khumanthem Nagor Singh, father of the deceased filed a writ petition at the High Court .
Subsequently, the High Court directed the District Judge, Manipur East to conduct an enquiry to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Ajitkumar alias Naoba .
After conducting an extensive enquiry, the District Judge submitted his report on June 28, 2012 which pointed that Ajitkumar alias Naoba was killed in a fake encounter on Khurkhul-Sekmai road on March 15, 2004 .
While Advocate Meihoubam Rakesh appeared on behalf of the two petitioners, Assistant Solicitor General Salam Rupachandra and Senior Government Advocate RS Reisang appeared on behalf of the Government of India and the State Government respectively.
Source: The Sangai Express
While it is quite heartening to know that the High Court has delivered justice to the aggrieved families, the quantum of punishment is very less compare to the loss. Five lakhs is too little an amount at today’s price index & inflation. It has to be meaningful and should be about 20-30 lakhs at least. one victim was killed in 2004, had he been alive he would earn a lot more than 5 lakhs in 13 years.