For many parents, family members and loved ones of people killed in the country under what are being called ‘fake encounters’ whose claims that the ones who died were innocent have been ignored and rather portrayed as false, the announcement of ‘fake encounters’ from legal agencies and by investigating systems are but just the beginning of long struggles to justice. The families of seven men in the prime of their life who were killed by state and central armed forces have only begun the difficult journey to see that those involved in the killings gets their just due. And while the seven families do have the consolation knowing that their loved ones were indeed caught in the trap of encounter killings, there are over thousands of others who are still to be heard. When, the Extrajudicial Execution Victims’ Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM), a body made of family members of those killed by various state and central security forces as encounters, referring to a situation of armed firing filed a PIL to the Supreme Court listing 1528 cases of fake encounters, referring to staged versions of encounters and seeking for the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and direct inquiry into all cases, the Apex Court had announced a three member Commission led by Justice Hegde. During the course of the inquiry Commission’s sittings in Imphal and then New Delhi, the loopholes in the versions of the ‘encounters’ given by security personnel came in glaring spotlight, not to mention the liberties that were taken in the process of investigations and police inquiry. Since the Army personnel involved in the 6 cases were examined in New Delhi on the grounds that many were posted in different parts of the country, not many in the state would be aware of the nuances that emerged in the narratives of events with literally ‘trigger points’ being pointed to the state police personnel who are not protected under AFSPA. The Commission after examination of witnesses and hearing out depositions said all six cases in which seven people were killed were indeed fake encounters and have now listed its recommendations to the Apex Court on ways and means to see that justice is served and the state police are reined in. Not surprisingly, the Commission’s report has also pointed out that the imposition of AFSPA and the impunity that it gives to the Armed forces are an important crux in the nature of encounter killings taking place in Manipur.
The list of recommendations include calling for the formation of Special Investigation teams to investigate all cases of UAPA (Unlawful Activities