BT Road Shoot-out
On the 23rd July 2009 at about 10:30 am there was a shoot out at BT Road in the capital city of Imphal where there is strict security vigilance for the ongoing Manipur legislative assembly session. In the shoot out at least two civilians including a pregnant woman were shot dead and another five were injured. The deceased were identified as Thokchom Rabina (23) a five months pregnant women W/o Thokchom Chinglensana of Lamdeng khunou Lamshang and Chungkha Sanjit (27) S/O Chungkham Khelen of Khurai Sajor Leikai. The incident took place during the shoot out between police commandos and an unidentified miscreant.
Figure 1: Protestor slingshot
Apunba Lup called 48 hours state wide general strike demanding dismissal of police commando involve in the 23rd July shot out and Chief Minister (CM) must resign on moral ground. Meira paibi (Women torch bearer) stage rally and shout slogans and placards like “stop fake encounter” “Repeal AFSPA”. Rally and protest continue in different places by fire burning effigies of CM & DGP, block roads, throwing stones, slingshot, even women Phanek (women’s lower garment) were seen drying across the road demanding dismissed of police commandos involved in the 23rd July firing, awarded life imprisonment and CM must resign on moral ground. At least 19 Meira paibi and 5 leaders’ of Apunba Lup were arrested by police and 4 leaders were detaining under National Security Act (NSA). At least 10 protestors got wounded by police’s rubber bullets, tear gas and mock bombs. However, “Tehelka” a Delhi based news magazine exposed photos of 23rd July shot out. It has displayed photographs that contradicts official version of Chungkham Sanjit being slain in an encounter with police commando.
The Police commando claim that Chungkham Sanjit tried to evade arrest and fired indiscriminately while fleeing through, at the most crowded place in the capital city of Manipur. But Tehelka expose clearly shows that Chingkham Sanjit was pushed and shoved by police commando inside a pharmacy before his lifeless corpse is carried out by police. According to police version, police commando saw a suspicious youth coming from direction of Uripok locality. When police ask to stop the youth suddenly pulled out a gun and ran away, firing at the public in a bid to evade the police. The police have finally cornered inside Maimu pharmacy near Gambir Singh shopping complex BT Road and open fire when ask to surrender, the report further said that police recover one 9 mm mouser pistol and driver’s license from the decease. However, if Chungkham Sanjit was in fact, armed with pistol why wasn’t found during the frisking? Why as the photo shows, was he taken inside the shop/pharmacy? Why not sent Chungkham Sanjit to police custody?
Figure 2: Tehelka report
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1.Chongkham Sanjit (27) is seen standing in a PCO surrounded by police commandos adjacent to a pharmacy (marked by arrow) in Imphal on July 23
2.Though surrounded by commandos, there is no obvious resistance from Sanjit (marked by a red circle)
3.Sanjit is seen calmly walking away with the heavily armed Cdos
4.While a commando reaches for his pistol, Sanjit remains visibly calm
5.Sanjit, known to a former PLA cadre, had retired on health grounds.
Though surrounded, he is calm and there seems to be no urgency or imminent violence in the picture
6.In a sudden turn of events, sanjit is hustled away roughly by the commandos
7.Sanjit is dragged into the pharmacy,
he has been surrounded by commandos for several minutes and is obviously unarmed |
Many civil organizations along with political parties protest the killing of the duo and demand CM resignation on moral ground. Public curfew imposed since10 pm on 4th August it relaxes from morning 5:00 am till 5:00 pm on the 13th August, 2009. |
