Multiple gunshots, mostly on back, killed 10 Kuki youths in Jiribam: Autopsy reports

Churachandpur (Manipur): The 10 Kuki-Zo youths, who were killed in an alleged gunfight with CRPF, received multiple fatal bullet injuries and most of them were fired from behind, according to the post-mortem examination reports.

A detailed analysis of all the 10 autopsy reports, which are available with PTI, showed that there were no other recorded torture marks on their bodies other than bullet injuries and the impact of such wounds.

As per the documents, the 10 youths, including one minor, were identified as Ramneilien (29), Fimlien Kung Ngurte (31), Elvis Lalropei Zote (21), Lalthanei (22), Joseph Lalditum (19), Francis Lalzarlien (25), Roulneisang (30), Lalsiemlien Hmar (30), Henry Lalsanglien (25) and Robert Lalnuntluong (16).

The Manipur Police on November 11 claimed 10 suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at Borobekra police station and an adjacent CRPF camp at Jakuradhor in Jiribam district.

The post-mortem reports also mentioned that most of them were in camouflage and khaki dresses when they were brought for autopsy at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam.

Interestingly, while six bodies were brought to SMCH the next day on November 12, four reached the hospital on November 14 and were in early stages of decomposition.

The approximate time of death for the bodies on which autopsy was conducted on November 12 was 24-36 hours before, while those arriving on November 14 were 72-96 hours.

Only in the case of Hmar, the approximate time since death was 48 to 72 hours prior to conducting the autopsy on November 14.

All bodies bore the wounds of multiple bullet entry and exit marks, even more than a dozen in some of the deceased.

The bullets hit the young men all over their body parts from head to foot, and most of them were shot from their behind, according to the autopsy reports signed by different sets of three doctors.

The reports also mentioned that one eye each was missing from the bodies of Ngurte, Lalzarlien, Hmar and Lalsanglien.

The doctors kept the opinion regarding the cause of deaths pending till the receipt of the chemical analysis reports of viscera from the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) in Guwahati.

The funeral of these 10 youths along with two other Kuki-Zo men will be held in Manipur's Churachandpur district on December 5, a leading organisation of the community has said.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a key organisation of the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur, had earlier decided that the funeral of the Kuki-Zo youths would not be conducted till their post-mortem examination reports were handed over to the families.

After the bodies were airlifted from Silchar to Churachandpur on November 16, they have been kept in the local hospital morgue till now.

While ITLF claimed that the deceased Kuki-Zo youths were village volunteers, the Manipur government asserted that they were militants.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.

It started after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.