Khundrakpam Naotombi’s mobile phone kept ringing through Saturday night. Late on Sunday evening, an unknown man picked it up and reportedly told Naotombi’s wife: “Go to the RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences) morgue if you want to see your husband.”
When Kundrakpam Ongbi Sonia went to RIMS she found her husband’s body there.
Sonia alleges that four commandos in civvies picked up Naotombi, 26, around 7.30 pm on Saturday from their residence at Ishikha Ningthemcha Khun locality in Manipur’s Imphal east district.
However, the public relations officer of Assam Rifles in a release said that discovering the presence of UG (underground) cadres in Chiru under Irilbung police station “troops of 28 Assam Rifles launched (an) operation in the area and eliminated one UG cadre” at around 12.15 am on Sunday.
The troops reportedly recovered a point 32 pistol with a magazine and three live rounds.
Naotombi, earlier in jail on charges of being a member of the banned People’s Liberation Army, was released in September last year, and was living with his wife and daughter.
An officer-in-charge at the Irilbung station said “a case has been registered and investigations are on”.
{{/usCountry}}An officer-in-charge at the Irilbung station said “a case has been registered and investigations are on”.
{{/usCountry}}Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has said his government was trying its best to ensure innocent people did not fall victims to counter-insurgency operations. His assurance has yet to mollify three students organisations, which have enforced closure of all schools across Imphal Valley for over a month now.