TAMENGLONG, Dec 21(Newmai News Network): The unfortunate incident occurred on the night of December 18 at the entrance gate of Orange Festival venue wherein one Boudiyang Panmei was shot dead while assisting his wife who happened to be one of the owners of a stall, according to Zeliangrong Youth Front ZYF) and Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur (ZSUM). Boudiyang was killed during the festival in the midst of security forces, government officials and the public by unidentified gunmen, alleged the ZYF and ZSUM while strongly condemning it.
ZYF and ZSUM said today that they are very seriously observing the way and manner the State government is dealing over the issue regarding the incident and expected that the issue would be discussed during the Assembly session.
The ZYF and ZSUM lamented that the state assembly ignored the Tamenglong killing incident while much attention has been given to the Chandel molestation incident. They said the degree of crime between dead case and that of molestation has been a big gap.
The ZSUM and ZYF also expressed unhappy the way and manner of the news coverage on the issue both by the print media and other electronic media. “Both the local and outside media persons with necessary equipments were present at the Orange Festival but the reportage has been biased,” alleged the ZYF and ZSUM. Both the Zeliangrong organisations then urged the media fraternity to abide by the journalism ethics while reporting such a sensitive issue. “Investigation into the incident and finding out the culprits involved in the case at the earliest possible should be the priority of the government to prove that it is against such incident,” asserted the ZYF and ZSUM.
ZYF and ZSUM then wondered as to how and why the dead body was accepted by some individuals without executing any written agreement or condition with the government. “This has only weakened the Zeliangrong society as a whole by depicting it as a headless society therefore, any responsible person of Zeliangrong society should first discard his or her individual interest if we have to uphold the custom, belief and tradition of the society especially in such an issue,” they added. ZYF and ZSUM said they will not remain silent spectators in this issue and appealed all sensible persons to cooperate with them in the fight for justice.