CBI registers FIR in Manipur student's custodial death case

The CBI has registered an FIR against unidentified personnel of 19 Assam Rifles to probe the alleged arrest, torture and murder of Manipur college student Khundrakpam Tejkumar Singh in 2004, an official said on Thursday.

The agency filed the FIR on Wednesday pertaining to charges of kidnapping and murder with common intention under the Indian Penal Code following the Supreme Court's March 12 order.

Citing the apex court petition filed by the student's mother, the CBI FIR said the 22-year-old was arrested by 19 Assam Rifles personnel on March 9, 2004, from the sports ground at Uripok Leikhurembi compound in Imphal during a sports festival.

Despite the fact that Khundrakpam Tejkumar Singh had no criminal antecedents or links to any unlawful organisation, he was whisked away, kept in custody, tortured and later killed by the personnel in a "staged encounter", said the FIR.

He was a first-year student of DM College of Commerce in Imphal.

Apart from punitive action against the guilty personnel, the aggrieved mother urged the court to direct Assam Rifles authorities to pay adequate compensation for her son's "extra-judicial killing".

--IANS

rak/tsb/bg