IMPHAL January 2 : In a gruesome incident, a 55-year-old woman was stabbed to death with a sharp weapon by a close relative inside her own grocery shop at the entrance of their compound at Kiyamgei Mulsim Awang Leikai under Irilbung Police Station in Imphal East district. Police today arrested the alleged murderer who was identified by the victim before she died.
According to sources, the victim identified as Sangomsungbam Sajita alias Memi, 55, wife of Shiraj was stabbed by the son of her husband’s brother yesterday at around 6.30 pm. Angry locals later tried to dismantle and burn down the house of the accused in the same locality today at around 11 am, prompting police to fire tear gas shells and mock bombs in the bid to control the mob.
The victim’s daughter, Nafisha said that the incident happened when her mother was at the shop. She went to the shop after hearing choking sounds from there and discovered her mother in a pool of blood. Many valuables including the victim’s gold earrings, Rs 10,000 in cash, mobile phone recharge coupons and items from the shop were reportedly found missing.
She further said her mother was immediately rushed to Public Hospital for treatment. She was referred to Raj Polyclinic and succumbed to her injuries there. Even till the last minutes when Sajita was conscious, she identified twenty-year old Noor Khan, son of her brother-in-law Ajis as the assailant and kept muttering his name, Nafisha said. She added that her mother received three injuries, on her head, right shoulder and abdomen.
The body had been deposited at JNIMS Morgue for post mortem.
On the other hand, locals of the Kiyamgei Muslim Awang Leikai held an emergency meeting and formed a JAC in connection with the killing and passed some resolutions.
The resolutions agreed to put pressure on the government for delivering justice to the victim’s family, to ostracise the accused and his family from the locality, to prohibit sale of their properties and urge the police department to file charge sheet in connection with the case at the earliest.
The meeting was also attended by the Zaber Khan, Pradhan of Keirao Mantik GP, Md Salam Keirao GP and Rahaman, Arapti GP.
Police had to rush in reinforcement to quell the angry people and get pass the barricade posed by the womenfolk. The protesters placed logs, bamboo and other articles to block the road and prevent the police personnel from proceeding towards the house of the accused when the process for dismantling it was underway. After the confrontation, police resorted to firing tear gas shells and mock bomb to disperse the angry protestors. There was no report of any casualty in the police firing.