NHRC recommends Rs.5 lakh compensation for kin of Manipur encounter victims

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended Manipur Government to Rs.5 lakh as monetary relief to the next of kin of Sorokhiabam Jibon Singh, who was killed in an encounter in Imphal on 2009.

The NHRC has observed that there could be no justification for such excessive use of force even after assuming that there was an encounter as claimed by police.

The Commission has given the state government eight weeks time for compliance report and proof of payment.

The NHRC has further stated that the magisterial enquiry report of the incident did not inspire confidence as the Inquiry Officer had not associated family members of the deceased with the enquiry.

The NHRC has claimed that apart from ten entrance wounds on the inter-costal region and abdomen and ten exit wounds on the backside of the body, there were firearm injuries on the right forearm and axilla. The injuries sustained by the deceased were not only fatal but also large in number indicating that police used excessive force during encounter.

The police had claimed that on receiving information that some hardcore members of KCP (MC) were loitering for committing prejudicial activities like kidnapping of government officials for ransom, a

combined team was constituted.

On July 1, 2009, while patrolling from Chajing Village side, two youths were found moving on foot at the Narankonjin Chingjen in a very suspicious manner. They were asked to stop, but they opened fire,which was retaliated. One unknown armed youth was killed on the spot and another escaped towards Narankonjin Village side.