CBI FILES THREE MORE FIRs IN FOUR STAGED SHOOTOUT DEATHS IN MANIPUR

The CBI has registered three cases in connection with four alleged staged shootout deaths in Manipur in which personnel of the state police, Assam Rifles and CRPF are accused. The FIRs were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the Supreme Court's March 12 order on writ petitions filed by the families of the deceased. In the first FIR, the CBI named five Manipur Police personnel and some unidentified policemen for taking Manipur resident R.K. Laksana in custody on February 15, 1999, and later allegedly killing him in a staged shootout. The named accused are Sub-Inspector Pebam John Singh and Constables Longjam Rokhon Singh, Thangmang Kipgen, K. Bijoy Tarao and Fajur Rahman.

In the second case, the CBI booked unidentified personnel of 20 Assam Rifles on the charge of killing Ramaso Shingnaisui on July 17, 1997, in custody. "As per Shingnaisui's post-mortem report, he died of shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt force injuries, which were homicidal in nature," the FIR said. In another FIR, the CBI booked unidentified personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force's 121 and 134 Battalions for killing Asem Romajit and Yumnam Robita Devi in a staged shootout in 2002.

The CBI had registered an FIR against unidentified personnel of 19 Assam Rifles to probe the alleged arrest, torture and murder of Manipur college student Khundrakpam Tejkumar Singh in 2004.

Speaking to INSIDENE, Human Rights Activist Babloo Loitongbam while welcoming the CBI move said he is hopeful that the premier agency does a proper investigation.