Guwahati, July 25: The Gauhati High Court has directed Assam’s Cachar district and police police administration to keep the bodies of three Hmar youths, who were killed in an alleged encounter with police in Bhubah Hills under Lakhipur police station of Cachar district on July 17, in the morgue of Silchar Medical College and Hospital till the next hearing of the case on July 26.
Three Hmnar youths Lallungawi Hmar (21) son of Lalremseng Hmar of K Bethel Village, Lalbiekkung Hmar (33) son of Lalthavel Hmar of K Bethel Village, Bhunankhal Dikush, Lakhipur, Cachar district, Tipaimukh and K Joshua Lalrinsang (35) son of Tianghmengthang Hmar of Senvon Lailak, Pherzawl district, Manipur were killed by the police in an encounter on July 17.
As per Cachar Police, three youths travelling in a three-wheeler were arrested on July 16 at around 4.30 pm. On interrogation, they revealed that their fellow members were taking shelter in Bhubaneswar Hill area. Police said a special operation was launched on the morning of July 17, around that area in which the three militants wearing bulletproof jackets and helmets were apprehended after they got injured in a crossfire.
Based on a writ petition filed by Siemthang Hmar, Lalthavel Hmar, and Lalchunghnung, a division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Soumitra Saikia asked the government lawyer to collect the post-mortem report from police, if already done, and submit it to the court in a sealed cover by the next hearing on July 26.
The petitioners stated that the three youths were arrested on July 16 at about 4.30 pm from Ganganagar Part-VI, Krishnapur Road, Cachar by six personnel of Assam Police and it is alleged that all those detained persons were taken out from Kachudharam Police Station in the early hours of July 17 and they have been killed in extra-judiciary execution.
The petitioners sought a direction of the High Court to conduct the postmortem of all the bodies of the three youths by the doctors outside of Assam.
It was submitted that the family members of the deceased have been informed by the district and police administration to take away the bodies from the morgue by July 24.
“Senior government lawyer will also obtain a report from the police in the matter and shall produce the same before the court in a sealed cover for the perusal of the court. It is also provided that till the orders are passed on the next date, the district and police administration of Cachar district shall allow to keep the bodies in the morgue of SMCH, Silchar,” the court stated in the order.
The three families had on July 19 lodged an FIR in Lakhipur police station in Cachar district seeking an investigation into the incident.
On July 24, two women organizations- the Hmar Women Association (HWA) and the Kuki Women Organisation for Hmar Rights (KWOHR) demanded the Central government to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) led by a judge of the Supreme Court of India to conduct a judicial probe into the alleged custodial killing of three Hmar youths in Cachar district of Assam.
The rally started at Muolvaiphei Playground and ended at the Wall of Remembrance, Tuibuong.
In a memorandum to Union home minister Amit Shah, Hmar Women Association president Rebecca Hmar and Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights president Ngaineikim Haokip sought a special investigation team (SIT) to be constituted and monitored by the Supreme Court against the extra-judicial actions of Assam Police leading to the death of three youths from Kuki-Zo community.
“There has been a gross violation of human rights, fundamental rights and the constitutional protection guaranteed to the people by a section of the Assam Police.
Disregarding the rules and procedures established by law the Assam Police has attempted to cover up the extrajudicial killings to protect itself despite the compelling evidence which is conclusive of the allegation made against it by the victims’ families that it was a fake and staged encounter,” the memorandum added.
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