IMPHAL, April 29: An allegation of custodial death has been cast on the 12 MLI post stationed at Patsoi Part IV.
A former militant who was taken by the MLI personnel during an alleged informal surrender programme was pronounced dead due to overdose of prescription drugs after spending barely a few hours inside the 12 MLI camp, a reliable source said.
One Salam Sanjoy alias Bono, 18 s/o Kamnei of Moirang Hanuba Leirak, a former cadre of the proscribed KYKL who later defected to KYKL (MDF) was apprehended by the police some time back.
After his release fearing for his safety, his family members sent him to Nagaland to assist his uncle who is a tailor for the Army about seven months back .
The source further stated that one Ningthoujam Kavita ,40, w/o late Saratchandra of Takyel Kolom Leikai and the present president of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party informed Sanjoy`™s mother that she knew one army major namely Mukhesh, presently stationed at 12 MLI at Patsoi. She had further interested Sanjoy`™s mother Sushila to hand over her son to the Army so that he would get a job and protection from unwanted reprisals.
Sushila entertained her request and decided to call out her son from Nagaland.
Following the advice of her mother, Sanjoy arrived at Imphal yesterday evening.
Today, at about 6.30 am, he was taken by Sushila to Kavita`™s residence and left her son there. Sushila was reassured by Kavita that her son would come to no harm.
The source further stated that a vehicle of the MLI came at the Takyel Kolom Leikai residence of Kavita to take Sanjoy into custody. The army personnel also seemed to have told Kavita to phone back in the evening to inquire about Sanjoy.
In the meantime, around 2.30 pm today, a tenant running a grocery shop at Kavita`™s residence reportedly came to Sushila`™s residence and approached Kamini (Sanjoy`™s father) that she received news from Kavita that his son had an overdose and was presently being treated at the RIMS casualty. Apprehensively, Kamini rushed to RIMS only to find out that his son was already deposited in the RIMS mortuary.
Sushila also came to know afterwards that her son had expired.
A distraught Sushila told mediapersons that her son was tortured to death, she alleged that her son bore marks of injury as blood was seen coming out of his ear and his private parts also bore signs of torture. `My son was murdered by the Army and Kavita is the one responsible for sacrificing my son to them`, she lamented.
Afterwards at about 5 pm, angry residents of Moirang Hanuba Mamang Leikai mobbed Kavita`™s residence. The mob inflicted damage to the property inside Kavita`™s residence including a car, television set, fridge, windows and other household items. Lamphel police personnel who came at the site were accosted by the irked residents. It is also reported that a sub inspector tried to intimidate the mob by showing a mock bomb and threatening the crowd, however the police personnel was mobbed by the women folk and had to make a hasty retreat. Other senior officials were also accosted by the angry mob. Finally, after taking a calm stance with the mob, the police was able to quell the crowd. Kabita is presently absconding from her residence.
The residents of Moirang Hanuba Leirak have demanded that the guilty Army personnel allegedly involved in the custodial death of Sanjoy be punished at the earliest other wise a series of protest will be launched.