IMPHAL May 18: A JAC formed against the killing of a 17-year-old student in an alleged police firing yesterday has imposed an indefinite bandh along the Imphal-Ukhrul road from today demanding termination of all police commandos involved in incident.
The boy has been identified as Konsam Kourounganba, son of K Rajen of Khurai Konsam Leikai.
Korounganba was travelling in a car with some friends yesterday evening along the Imphal Ukhrul road, when they were stopped by a police team on frisking duty, however, they sped away without stopping resulting in a high voltage police chase.
One of the occupants of the car who is getting treated at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences has been identified as Konthoujam Vivek, 17 son of Konthoujam Kumar of Konthoujam Mamang Leikai, under Imphal West district.
Speaking to this reporter at the hospital, Vivek said that he and Kourounganba were both sitting in the back seat of the Chevrolet car.
Konthoujam Vivek narrated, `We were returning from Chingnungkhok and were stopped by the police for frisking at Lamlai around 6 pm yesterday.`
`We have had some liquor so we did not stop the vehicle out of fear. Then the police chased us to Sawombung, Sagolmang, Pangei, Waiton, Tejpur and beyond Sajiwa jail`, he said.
We were intercepted by another commando team while we were slowing down for turning at a road obstruction at Kangla Sangomsang area, which is along the Imphal-Ukhrul road near Sajiwa Jail, he added.
Then all of a sudden they shot at us, hitting Korounganba on his hips, he said.
According to Vivek, he was also hit on his neck by a debris from the car`™s body scrapped off by the bullets.
Korounganba was rushed to Shija Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 1am today.
Two of their friends are in the custody of the Lamlai Police Station.
Meanwhile, the JAC has also demanded that all the involved commandos should arrested under IPC 302 for the alleged murder.
The JAC has further demanded the release of the other innocent students in custody without any condition.
At the same time, the All Manipur Students Union, AMSU also denounced the incident resulting in the death of the student of NG Mani College in the strongest terms during a press meet held in their office premises today.
The general secretary of the student body, Manjit Sarangthem questioned the legitimacy of killing a young student without any respect of right to life.
`In the guise of AFSPA, we have lost so many innocent lives at the hands of the state forces.` he alleged.
`The police should introspect why people fearfully ran away from their sight instead of feeling secure in their presence` he said lamenting about citizens`™ plight being cornered by both the militants and the military including police. `It is unfortunate that even students are not spared by the men in uniform/police commando`, he added.
During the media briefing the student body appealed to all the educational institutions for participating in the mass sit in protest tomorrow. `We will support the decisions of the JAC until the involved personnel are brought to justice`, Manjit Sarangthem stated before adding that it is high time the culture of extra judicial killing should be stopped by the security forces operating in the State.