IMPHAL, August 14: The Ukhrul police has found a missing lead in the Irabanta abduction case today with the arrest of MK Winner who had accompanied the contractor from his residence on May 27 after which Irabanta had gone missing.
It may be mentioned that, Irabanta had accompanied Winner on the day for Ukhrul for a meeting with NSCN (IM).
MK Winner, 33 son of Ramsing of New Salem near Nongdam village, Ukhrul and presently staying at Harpham, Ukhrul was nabbed by a team of the Ukhrul police from Phungcham, Ukhrul on August 10.
The CJM, Ukhrul before which Winner was produced on August 11 had remanded him to further judicial custody till September 17.
Meanwhile on the other hand, the JAC against the abduction of Irungbam Irabanta by NSCN (IM) alongwith representatives of several civil societies have today announced that it will launch several agitations on the issue in case the government and the militant outfit NSCN (IM) fail to produce the missing contractor at the earliest.
Speaking to media persons, a member of the JAC had expressed that even though the deadline set for the government to produce Irabanta had already passed, the JAC and the civil societies have remained silent considering the August 13-Patriots’ Day, August 15-Independence Day and the August 16-Chittaranjan death anniversary.
The member while acknowledging about getting reports of Winner’s arrest questioned why the arrest has been concealed from the general public.
He should be properly interrogated in order to find Iranbanta’s whereabouts or it could lead to several unwanted flare ups in the state, he said.
Another member chipped in that the JAC along with the civil societies will announce its line of action at the earliest.
It may be mentioned that, a contractor of Maphou Dam Irungbam Irabanta, 38, son of (late) Kerani of Nongdam Maning Leikai and presently staying in a rented house near Gate No 3 of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, JNIMS, Porompat had gone missing since he set out from his home along with Winner on his Maruti Gypsy on May 27 at around 9 am to meet the NSCN-IM operatives.
On May 28 at 7:36 am, Irabanta had sent an SMS to his wife from his mobile phone saying that they were having talks with Leisee Francis of NSCN-IM. Few minutes later, Winner again sent an SMS to her saying that they were waiting for the vehicle. Winner’s mobile has been switched off after that SMS, Modhubala his wife had told media persons on July 9.
Modhubala had also appealed to all concerned for safe release of her husband on humanitarian ground.