Imphal Mar 3 UNA : The three-member independent inquiry commission set up by the Supreme Court of India to investigate into six different cases of alleged extra-judicial killings out of over 1500 in Manipur started functioning at its temporary office at Hotel Classic, Imphal from Sunday. The inquiry commission headed by retired Supreme Court justice N Santosh Hegde as chairman and former chief election commissioner of India JM Lyngdoh and retired DGP of Karnaka Police Ajay Kumar Singh as members have arrived at Imphal on Saturday. Even though today was Sunday, the commission started functioning from today as the hearing to the six cases to be inquired by the commissionas per the directive of the Supreme Court was to begin from tomorrow. The three-member probe panel was set up under a directive of the Supreme Court on January 4, 2013 following a petition filed by Extrajudicial Execution Victims’ Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) pleading for an independent probe into more than 1500 cases of extrajudicial killings in Manipur. The commission would record statements of the families of the six victim of the alleged extra judicial killing involving security force and state police and witnesses of the cases that have been selected randomly by the apex court for probe from among numerous cases of alleged extrajudicial killings in the state. Families of the victims as well as witnesses of the six cases have already started submitted their affidavits before the inquiry commission, according an official source. The hearing of the commission would start from 9 am tomorrow and affidavits would be allowed to be submitted till 5 pm. Advocate Mukul Sinha, who was the counsel of the victim’s family of a similar extra-judicial killing that took place in Gujarat that ultimately led to the arrest and punishment of a guilty IPS officer, would be the counsel of the victim families in Manipur as well. The first case to be taken up by the commission related with the killing of one Khumbongmayum Orsonjit (19) son of Imo of Konjeng Hajari Leikai, Jailor Leirak, P.O.and P.S.Imphal, Imphal West District, and Manipur who was killed by a team of state police commandos on March 16, 2010. Orsonjit was allegedly killed in an alleged stage managed encounter by the police commandos after was arrested from MG Avenue near OK Hotel of Imphal’s Thangal Bazar. The second case was that of Yumnam Kumarjit (18) son of Y Nupamacha of Irom Meijrao Makha Leikai, Imphal West District who was killed in June 2009. He was killed in an alleged encounter by a combined team of state police commando and 4/8 Gurkha Rifles at Moirangkhong Pat and the dead body of the individual was deposited in the morgue of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Lamphel for identification. The third case is of Chongtham Umakanta @ Mamunaton (24) son of Gunamani of Iroisemba Mamang Leikai, Imphal West District, Manipur. He was killed by a team of police commando who took away him from his house forcibly despite strong insistence to issue arrest memo on May 4, 2009. The fourth case related to Elangbam Kiranjit (22) s/o, Ibohal of Thoubal Haokha, Thoubal District who was killed by a team of Thoubal police commandos on April 23, 2009. The fifth case was connected with killing of one Nameirakpam Gobind alias Dhopa (25) son of Romen of Bashikhong Mamang Leikai, Imphal East District and his cousin Nameirakpam Nobo (27) son of N Basanta of same locality on April 4, 2009. The sixth case to be taken up by the commission was related with the killing of a 14-year old boy identified as Md. Azad Khan son of Md. Wahid Ali, who was arrested by police commandos from his house in the morning of March 4, 2009 while reading a newspaper along with a friend named Anand.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/extra-judicial-killing-hearing-begins/
