Imphal, Jan 16 (Waari Singbul Network): Hemkholal Mate, one of the two persons arrested from Manipur’s Moreh town bordering Myanmar in connection with the killing of police officer Chingtham Anand Kumar, turned out to be the treasurer (Tengnoupal Mandal) of the saffron party.

The state unit party, taking an unbending disciplinary action, expelled Mate, also the chief of K Moulsang village and finance secretary of Mate Tribe Union (MTU), from the primary membership of the ruling party on Tuesday.

On Monday evening, a joint team of state forces arrested Mate (36) and prime accused in the crime, Philip Khaikholal Khongsai of Moreh Ward No 8 during an operation. Khongsai is an ex-Indian Army as well as president of Moreh Youth Club.

“After convening an emergency executive committee of the party today, he (Mate) has been expelled from the primary membership of our party,” said N Nimbus Singh, senior vice president of state unit BJP.

“We will also conduct a comprehensive scrutiny of all members and if any members of our party are found involved in criminal activities, we will take up stern disciplinary actions,” added Nimbus.

Sub divisional police officer, Moreh in Tengnoupal district, Anand was killed by a sniper while he was on duty at Eastern Shine ground at the border town on October 31, last year.

For the second time in a row, the saffron party came to power in the last state assembly polls held in March 2022. Of the 60-member house, BJP won 32 seats, NPP (7), JD(U) 6, 5 each of Congress and Naga People’s Front (NPF), Kuki People’s Alliance (2) and 3 Independents.

With the merger of five JDU MLAs, the saffron party’s strength rose to 37, and other than the five opposition Congress legislator and the lone JD(U) legislator, others parties and the Independent MLAs had extended support to the BJP regime.

Upon the arrest of two, people at the border town on Tuesday demanded their release, while Imphal valley witnessed widespread protests demanding handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and give exemplary punishment of the duo.