CCPUR, October 3: A civilian who managed to escape while his companion was killed in an alleged unprovoked Army firing on October 1 has come out with his story of the incident which was reported earlier as a gun fight between the Army and UG cadres.
The survivor identified as Theinsei Haokip, 28, son of H Haokip of Suangkuang Village, Henglep sub-division of Churachandpur bordering Tamenglong distict said he along with his other friend were on their way to the market when they were fired upon indiscriminately killing his friend on the spot at Nakhol Vadung.
Speaking to IFP, Haokip said on October 1, he and his friend from the same village Seikholien Haokip 35 s/o (L) Zanglien were on their way to buy medicine and groceries from Khoupumphai which is about 25 km from their village.
Around 7am, they had stopped to take some rest and eat their packed food near a stream when personnel of the 2/5 Gorkha Regiment fired upon them without any prior warning, he said.
His friend was hit and got injured but he had to reluctantly leave behind his friend to escape, he lamented.
Haokip who has been unable to eat or sleep since the October 1 morning incident had to be administered glucose drip. He said when security personnel started firing at them, they waved their hands in the air signalling that they were unarmed and civilians.
The Army personnel used automatic rifles and later lobbed bombs, he said. They seem to be using even sniper rifles he claimed, stating that his friend was first hit on his leg and then hit simultaneously slicing his body from waist down.
Even though we waved our hands, they continued to fire upon us, and when his friend fell down after being hit, he said he had to move and reached the nearby village of Mualphei around 8 am.
The personnel indiscriminately fired upon for around an hour, he claimed.
He said he wanted to turn back and even tried to do so on atleast three counts, but the Army continued firing aimed at him and he had to escape.
He said at Mualphei he contacted the KKL and the KSO who called upon the Commanding Officer of the Gorkha Regiment.
The CO was informed that the attackers may be from his regiment that had been present in the area following an earlier attack on the mountain top camp of the Zeliangrong United Front, he said.
Haokip told this reporter that he wants the severest punishment and even termination of the Army personnel who didn`™t heed to their submission and kept on shooting which killed his friend.
The situation may demand for the Army and security forces to be vigilant, but it should not be at the cost of human rights and right to surrender, he said.
The visibly shaken Haokip also said while at Mualphai Village, Army personnel came and asked for his whereabout bringing the bag in which he and his friend had taken food packets and other personal stuff.
He said the Army also inquired why he ran away from the spot.
He said he replied that they were fired upon during which his friend was killed at the spot even after they waved their hands in the air and in such a scenario he had no other choice.
He further continued, when he accompanied by the villagers went to take his friend`™s body, they couldn`™t find it at the place where he was killed.
But there was a blood trail which they had followed before it also vanished, following which they went to the local Police Station to check if the body had been deposited there, he continued.
Haokip continued that the body was still not at the Police Station and the Army brought it to the Police Station only later in the evening.
Meanwhile it is also learnt that KKL GHQ and the KSO GHQ will be initiating talks for the innocent life lost.