Indrakanta Singh
Imphal: A naib subedar of Assam Rifles has alleged that many high-ranking officers of the paramilitary force procure unauthorised arms to stage fake encounters and surrender dramas.
Speaking to reporters here, naib subedar Ramesh Chand Sharma, now posted in Kohima, alleged that many officers, "to get promotion or fill their pockets, stage fake encounter killings and surrender dramas in the name of counter-insurgency operations. They use surrendered militants to procure unregistered arms and send jawans to carry out the dirty work.
"The truth needs to be exposed as their tainted work is an insult to those in the armed forces. If I don't reveal the truth, many distasteful crimes will be perpetrated by the criminals in uniform. I am not afraid as I believe in justice," he said.
Sharma produced documents to prove that unregistered arms and ammunition were kept at the arms kote of B Company of Assam Rifles stationed at Khurkhul spinning mills in Manipur, where he was posted as a part of 30 Assam Rifles in 2013. He claimed to have deposited three such weapons at the arms kote and alleged that the original documents "were destroyed by Col Ved Pal Yadav to cover his tracks". He claimed to have saved copies of concealed transactions.
Citing an incident, Sharma said on February 3, 2013, he was sent to the AR headquarters at Mantripukhri with three others in response to a call from the second-in-command of B Company, Mahavir Singh. Here they met Col. Yadav, commandant of 30 Assam Rifles, Adjutant Major P.M. Tekhrwade of 290 Artillery and others. Sharma claimed that Col Yadav handed him Rs 3 lakh and Major Tekhrwade asked him to hand over the amount to a person at the AR main gate. He handed over the amount to "Laichonba, a surrendered UNLF cadre", as instructed.
Laichonba then told Sharma and his companions to go to 7 Manipur Rifles (MR) camp at Khabeisoi, Pangei, in Imphal East district, where they were joined by five other surrendered militants. The new team was asked to go to 26 sector AR camp at Pallel in Chandel district. Here they met the company commander of 42 AR, B company, Major Brajesh, who handed over two unregistered pistols and a lethod gun to Sharma. He was then asked to take the surrendered cadres back to Khabeisoi MR camp and drop Laichonba at the Mantripukhri AR gate.
At Mantripukhri, Col Yadav called Ramesh to his office where a photographer photographed the two pistols and lathod gun. Later, Sharma handed over the unmarked weapons to Mahavir Singh who deposited them at the arms kote.
Sharma alleged that 23 unmarked weapons were kept at the arms kote to be used during surrenders, to plant weapons during fake encounters and for depositing weapons when arresting unarmed cadres.
Citing another incident, he said on May 13, 2013, a girl, Leishangthem Lata Devi, 25, a resident of Imphal East, was forced to carry a bag of arms by AR personnel posing as militants and thereafter jailed. She got bail after a few months.