|
Imphal, March 19: Tension prevailed at Singjamei in Imphal East district after the body of a van driver, who went missing on March 14, was recovered from a fish farm at Komlakhong in Imphal West this afternoon.
Thokchom Kiran, 28, was a resident of Thongju village in Singjamei locality, which is 15km from Komlakhong.
N.K. Charamba, convener of Thongju joint action committee, said two friends, Md Salim and Md Sabir, residents of Kiyamgei Muslim village, 5km from Thongju, had hired Kiran’s van from his house on March 14 evening. The next morning they brought the van to Kiran’s house, saying he had disappeared from the house of Salim’s relative, Md Rajauddin, in Komlakhong, where the three had dinner.
Imphal East superintendent of police Angam Kamei said Salim and Sabir were arrested on March 15 after Kiran’s family filed an FIR with Irilbung police station.
When the police went to the house of Rajauddin, the prime accused, that day they found it locked and his family had disappeared. The fish farm from where the body was recovered is hardly 200metres from his house.
The body bore several injury marks, apparently caused by a club-like object. The post-mortem is yet to be conducted.
Singjamei residents set fire to Rajauddin’s house today. They also blocked the traffic on Imphal-Moreh road by squatting at Naorem Leikai and Boroi Makhong.
The Thongju joint action committee, which has alleged that all three murdered Kiran, has demanded that the culprits be handed over to it within three days, failing which it threatened to intensify its agitation.
Kamei said the situation was tense but under control.
| 
