CBI files charge sheet against seven in Bishnupur arms loot case in Manipur

Guwahati: CBI filed a chargesheet against seven accused in a case related to looting of nearly 300 arms and over 19,000 ammunition from security forces in Meitei-dominated Bishnupur district on August 3 last year. 

The CBI said the chargesheets were filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Guwahati in Assam, where trials of some of the cases related to Manipur violence were transferred by the Supreme Court.  

The CBI which took over the case on August 24, said the FIR registered in connection with the case stated that a large number of armed miscreants and individuals, looted around 300 arms, around 19, 800  ammunitions and around 800 types of munitions and other accessories from two rooms of 2 Indian Reserve Battalion at Naranseina in Bishnupur district on August 3 last year. 

The accused against whom the chargesheets were filed are Laishram Prem Singh, Khumukcham Dhiren alias Thapkpa, Moirangthem Anand Singh, Athokpam Kajit alias Kishorjit, Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha alias Michael, Konthoujam Romojit Meitei alias Romojit and Keisham Johnson alias Johnson. All belong to the Meitei community. The CBI said investigation against some other accused in the case was underway. 

The weapons were looted on August 3 when Meitei women staged a protest against a plan by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a Kuki organisation, to perform mass burial of 35 bodies of the victims of the violence in neighbouring Churachandpur district. The Meiteis claimed that the land where the ITLF was planning to budy the bodies, was a Meitei village and its residents were evicted by the Kukis during the conflict.   

Arms loot

A large number of weapons were looted from armouries, mainly in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley districts, since the conflict between the Meiteis and the Kukis began on May 3 last year. 

Several organisations representing the Kuki community have claimed that the looted weapons, a large number of which has still remained traceless, are being used by the Meitei armed groups like the Arambai Tenggol to attack the Kukis. 

The Manipur government recently said 219 people died in the conflict since May and 29 cases related to the violence have been handed over to the CBI and the NIA for investigation.