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Skirmishes between security forces and activists of outlawed organizations in insurgency prone area often resulting in bloodshed is natural. Another predictable consequence of waging armed movement is vulnerability of innocent civilians suffering injuries and loss of life which is why the general masses have been denouncing violence of any form and could not withstand gory scene of blood-stained corpses be it from the security side or cadres of underground outfits. Thus caught in a conflict situation the public could do little other than wishful thinking of seeing their loved ones safe and sound contrary to which there has been a number of cases wherein civilians have been picked up from their homes by security forces on suspicion of being connected to armed groups only to find their lifeless corpses later.

Manipur is today littered with numerous cases of custodial deaths, victims of security force atrocities and female members being raped and tortured all in the name of containing insurgency movement. Not only is such unwanted events decried by the State public, many cases of human rights violation had reached the international fora evoking strong condemnations from rights organizations even though there is no sight of an end to killings mostly shrouded in controversy.

The latest addition to the extended list of people losing their lives under conflicting claims is the elimination of two persons from Khangabok area of Thoubal district at Churachandpur town. Despite army authorities claiming the deceased persons to be prominent members of a UG group and produced arms to substantiate their contention the victims’ families as well as members of their locality have raised strong objection saying one of the victim is a Vice-Principal of an educational institution and the other a gram panchayat member. Dismissing the Army version, locals insist that the gram panchayat member is also involved in contract works and had gone in his friend’s vehicle to Churachandpur in connection with contract work. The sub-contractor’s family member also ridiculed that recovery and seizure list after the encounter claim did not mention about cash and other personal items possessed by the victims.

Under such controversial claims, the body formed in the aftermath of the alleged fake encounter is demanding appropriate punitive action against security personnel involved in the slaying of the duo in addition to imposing general strike for an indefinite period till clarity on the issue and not to claim the bodies. As Manipur had witnessed similar situation in the past wherein victims’ party had rejected security agencies’ claim of deceased person/s being UG activists, need for a thorough investigation on the latest controversy has become inevitable.

There had been many previous cases in which probe was ordered but the final outcome had never been disclosed for public scrutiny but still an investigation to ascertain facts surrounding the controversy is the only hope left with the people for the sake of justice. The reliance on investigation is also based on the expectation that the guilty would be pulled up and punished as was reported from other parts of the country where errant security personnel irrespective of their positions had faced the music. Inspite of such a privilege being alien to the people of Manipur on numerous occasions the rule of law should never be overlooked as none would neither like to see the guilty evading punishment nor those executing their duty in the proper manner denied deserved accolades.

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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