IMPHAL, March 25: A man, who was reportedly gunned down by a combined team of Imphal west police commandos and 18 Sikh Regiment during an encounter at Naran Konjin under Wangoi police station on March 23, was an innocent bread-earner and not a militant, his family claimed Sunday.
Md Firoz Khan, 25, son of (L) Hesamuddin of Lilong Haoreibi Makha Leikai was reported to have been shot dead in an encounter with security forces at Naran Konjin on March 23, but his family has claimed otherwise. The family has claimed that Fioz was picked up by security forces and later killed in a fake encounter.
Firoz is survived by three daughters and his six-month-old pregnant wife and that he was a daily wage earner, according to his family.
He left home on March 23 evening around 6pm along with his two friends identified as Md Abdul Rajaq, 23 of Lilong Chandakhong and Md Rasim Khan, 23 of Lilong Haoreibi Konjin Leikai in Thoubal district.
The two individuals were caught by locals yesterday afternoon from their respective houses and later the residents grilled them over the killing of Firoz, the family maintained.
According to the duo, on that day March 23, the three friends were going for a walk at Sawombung Penakhong. They started running from the area when they spotted a commando team approaching them. The team later on picked up Firozand opened fire towards the two friends while taking away Firoz from the scene, the family quoted the two friends.
Meanwhile, the body of Firoz was handed over to his family on Sunday after conducting autopsy at RIMS.
His body had received 11 bullets on his chest, his family source said.