IMPHAL, April 28: The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights has demanded the setting up of a special investigative task force in the Loitam Richard murder case.
The human rights body today dispatch a letter to the Karnataka Chief Minister on the issue.
Expressing deep concern over the issue, the letter stated that Richard Loitam, a 19 year-old student of architecture at Acharya NRV School of Architecture was found dead in his hostel room at Madanayakanahalll Nelamangala on April 18.
The provisional post-mortem report reveals cerebral haemorrage as the cause of death, it continued.
The institute and its officials, instead of taking responsibility in identifying the culprits, is hindering and impeding the case by tainting Richard as a drug abuser and blaming his death on head injuries he allegedly sustained in a two-wheeler accident on April 16 near Saptagiri Hospital, the letter stated.
The letter also stated that it is important to mention that the doctors there treated him as an outpatient; had there been suspicion of serious injuries whatsoever, doctors would surely have advised and followed up with the rightful tests and medical investigations as treatment protocol requires.
The absence of any such advice and the fact that he was let off after a routine procedure is indicative that Richard was fine and therefore, blaming his death on the accident is clearly done to mislead the investigation of the case, the letter further stated.
“The mala fide action of the institute and its officials to mislead and obstruct the course of justice is highly questionable; it suggests complicity on the part of the institute and its officials in the commission of the crime” the letter continued.
“The brutal death of Richard requires immediate attention from all the appropriate authorities, particularly the Government of Karnataka” it stated.
The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights has further demanded a special investigative task force to be set up to inquire into the death of Richard, and the guilty be brought to book immediately; that the Acharya NRV School of Architecture and its officials be held accountable for its role in hindering and impeding the case through, and fitting penalties be imposed accordingly.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/npmhr-demands-special-investigative-task-force-in-richard-case/