After 12 years, four CRPF men involved in the RIMS massacre — where nine civilians were killed — have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The order was passed by a Guwahati court recently.
On January 7, 1995, the four, who had been on guard duty at RIMS hospital in Imphal, were attacked by unknown gunmen. In retaliation, they had opened indiscriminate fire on a group of civilians, killing nine on the spot. Since then, many human rights bodies and civil societies have been demanding punishment for the CRPF personnel.
The CBI’s Special Crime Branch, Kolkata, had registered a case on November 14, 1996, following a request from the Manipur government. The case was shifted from Manipur to Guwahati on the intervention of the Supreme Court. The trial concluded on March 17 last.