Tonsen Lamkhai firing probe ordered

Imphal, February 22: The Gauhati High Court Imphal Bench has ordered to hold a Judicial Inquiry into the killing of 10 civilians including school boys by CRPF jawans at Tonsen Lamkhai on October 3, 1999 morning. A single bench court headed by Justice AH Saikia yesterday ruled that the inquiry should be conducted by the District Judge Manipur West who should submit the report before the court within six months. Since the verdict was passed in the presence of both the parties, the court maintained that they" should appear before the Sessions Judge Manipur West on March 18. The ruling followed separate petitions filed by widows and parents of the five of the ten persons killed in the firing. The five deceased persons relating to the petitions are S Brajamani (truck driver), Ng Thanil (handyman) both of Uchiwa, N Kiran (class IX student), N Nandakumar Meitei (class X) and M Ingochouba (class VIII) all of Sugnu Napat village. Case records said that a convoy of 35 Bn CRPF which was escorting a poll officials was ambushed by unidentified militants near Tonsen Lamkhai on October 3, 1999 at around 10 am. The ten civilians who were waiting a bus at the nearby bus stand were killed in retaliatory fire by the CRPF jawans. Mention may be made here that some CRPF jawans along with two officers were killed in the militant attack. Advocate N Umakanta who appeared in favor of the petitioners contended in the petitions that the action of the CRPF was carried out in cold blood against the civilians who were simply waiting fir a bus. The truck driver and the handyman were shot dead after a gap of half an hour, he said. The primary prayers of the petitioners are to pay adequate compensation to the tune of Rs 20 lakhs each to the families of the deceased persons and to punish the CRPF men involved according to law. The State Government had already paid ex-gratia to the next of kins of the deceased persons.