Mob goes on rampage after missing teenager found dead, accused`s home vandalised

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The house of the accused razed to the ground by a local mob.
The house of the accused razed to the ground by a local mob.

 

IMPHAL, April 15: The partly decomposed body of 16-year-old Thangjam Kelvin was recovered yesterday around noon from near the Ngariyan Catholic Teachers`™ Training College under Andro Police Station, Imphal East.

Thangjam Kelvin son of Yambung alias Premjit of Ukhongsang Mamang Leikai under Nongpok Sekmai Police Station had gone missing since March 29 after leaving with a friend on his motorbike. The motorbike is yet to be recovered.

Police accompanied by forensic experts had picked up the body and deposited the same at the mortuary of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences for post mortem.

Meanwhile, enraged by the news, locals formed a mob and set ablaze the house of 20-year-old Longjam Dhojo alias Oken son of Ibochoubi of neighbouring village Nongpok Lourembam yesterday around 3pm. Dhojo, a friend of Kelvin, is suspected to be involved in the case and had already surrendered before the police.

Strongly disapproving the police interrogation and demanding the police to hand over Dhojo to them, the mob also attacked the Nongpok Sekmai Police Station. The mob damaged the police sentry post and the gate of the police station by pelting stones.

In their bid to control the rampaging mob, police also indiscriminately fired tear gas shells, mock bombs, rubber bullets. They also blank fired several rounds.

Two women were injured in the resulting police action while another identified as Th Sanajaobi 28 wife of Roben of Ukhongsang Mamang Leikai fainted due to the explosion of a mock bomb.

Oinam Bimo Devi, 58 wife of Ngobi of Nongpok Sekmai Lilakambong received head injuries and is said to be in critical condition at RIMS. W Bembem, 24 wife of Tomba of Ukhongsang Mamang Leikai was injured on her leg and has been discharged from the Thoubal District Hospital where she received first aid.

The commotion was brought under control only after additional police teams led by Thoubal SDPO Sukhdev, Yairipok SDPO Hemant, Thoubal OC (cdo) Anandkumar arrived at the scene.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the body had started to decompose raising concerns that the body might have been dumped there some days back after the boy was killed. The head was also found severed from the body, suspected to be due to insect and animal bites.

Later, the JAC formed in connection with the death of Kelvin organised a mass public meeting the same day at Ukhongsang ground and demanded the arrest of all those involved in the case before April 16.

In case the government fails to bring out the culprits by the stipulated time, the meeting decided to call a 24-hour state-wide general strike the next day on April 17.

According to Kelvin`™s father, the boy was a Class XI student of HRD Academy.

He said Kelvin and Dhojo were good friends and that on March 29, Kelvin had received a message from Dhojo on his phone following which the two left together on Kelvin`™s R 15 motorcycle bearing registration number MN 04 B 2158.

When Kelvin failed to return even till late, they started searching for him and found that his phone was also switched off, Yambung said.

Dhojo`™s phone also remained unreachable, he continued.

Failing to find his son, the family filed a missing report with the Yairipok police on April 1 and provided the phone numbers of the two to track them, he said.

However, the police rejected the plea stating that the phones were already switched off and cannot be traced, he lamented.

Yambung said later, they acquired Dhojo`™s new mobile number from one of his friends; however they were still unable to track him.

He said Dhojo was handed over to the Yairipok Police by his family on April 9, but his family members rejected his appeal to join in the search for missing Kelvin, Yambung continued.

In the meantime, a missing report was also filed with the Nongpok Sekmai Police Station which was recently inaugurated as a full-fledged police station, he continued.

Yambung has also claimed that since Dhojo`™s brother in law was in the police department they were trying to cover up the case.

Meanwhile quoting a reliable source, he said Kelvin was killed on April 1 by hitting twice on his head with a log.

It is also learnt that the JAC convened a similar public meeting today and reaffirmed the resolutions taken last evening. The meeting also decided to staged sit in protests in the locality until those involved are brought out and revealed before the public and to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister and informed not to accept the dead body until the culprits are produced before the general public.

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