INDIA: Alleged extrajudicial killing of four men in Manipur

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Centre for Social Development (CSD), a human rights organisation based in Manipur, India regarding the murder of Mr. Mohammad Qudur Ali. Ali was reportedly killed on 7 February 2008 by the Manipur Police after being taken into custody near the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Imphal East district. It is reported that in the evening Ali’s body was found with gunshot injuries from where he was taken into custody.

CASE DETAILS:

Mr. Qudur Ali, alias Bobocha was aged about 22 years. He is the son of Mr. Mohammad Hayat, residing at Urup Makha Leikai in Imphal East district of Manipur. Ali was a salesperson at a local travel agency named CK Agency. On 7 February 2008, Ali along with his neighbour Mr. Mohammad Riyajuddin were waiting in a queue at the office of the Deputy Commissioner to obtain an election identity card.

At about 10am, while Ali was waiting in the queue, the police officers attached to the Manipur State Police–Commando Unit–stationed at Porompat Police Station took Ali into custody. No one was informed why Ali was taken into custody or where he was taken to. During that evening, Ali’s body was found abandoned at the same place from where he was taken into custody. The body was found with gunshot injuries. It is presumed that Ali was shot dead by the police.

Coming to know about Ali’s murder a Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed by the local people. Representatives of the JAC gathered in front of the state Chief Minister’s residence the next day morning demanding an enquiry into the incident. The JAC met the Chief Minister at about 4pm and submitted their demands. The JAC demanded that (a) an enquiry must be conducted into the incident (b) that the police officers responsible for the murder must be punished (c) that the state government to make an ex-gratia payment of Rupees 500,000 (USD 12,820) to the family of the deceased and (d) that a member of the deceased family to be given a government job.

The Chief Minister did not agree to the demands, but the JAC was asked to return after fixing an appointment to meet the Chief Minister once again. The JAC decided that they will not accept the dead body until their demands are met. However, the local newspapers report that the Chief Minister, who later met the JAC has agreed that the government would order an enquiry into the incident.

Soon after the incident the residents of Urup village where Ali lived, organised a protest over the incident in Imphal. The state government has promised that the enquiry into the incident will be led by a senior police officer, not below the rank of an Inspector General of Police. On the basis of this assurance, the JAC agreed to receive Ali’s body from the Regional Institute of Medical Science.

When Ali’s murder was reported through the local media, three more families claimed that their relatives too were murdered by the commando unit of the state police on the same day Ali was murdered. The murders allegedly took place at Naran Konjil which is also in Imphal East district. The persons allegedly killed by the police were identified as Mr. Naorem Boinao, aged 23 years, residing at Kakwa Naorem Leikai, Mr. Santhosh Pradhan, aged 26 years, residing at Mantripukhri, who was staying at his wife’s house at Kakwa Asem Leikai and Mr. Khaidem Boker, aged 27 years, residing at Kakwa Huidrom Leikai.

It is reported that according to the families of Santhosh and Khaidem, they were both married and were working as taxi drivers. According to the family members of the three persons above all of them were taken into custody at about 12:30pm on 7 February 2008 by the police officers, without being accused of any specific charges and not letting the deceased or their relatives aware where they would be taken to. In Ali’s case however, the police has later claimed that a handgun and live ammunition were recovered from Ali.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

In the past one year there is an alarmingly high number of encounter killings (Indian synonym for extrajudicial execution) in India. Manipur being a state in the highly militarised Northeast zone, the number of extrajudicial executions reported from that state is particularly high. In most cases the murdered victims are taken into custody without any prior notice and later the bodies of the victims are found abandoned with injuries. In almost all cases, the police or the law enforcement agencies would release a statement soon after the murder that the victim was shot dead when he tried to escape. Allegations of possession or recovery of arms and ammunition from the victims are also a common feature in these cases.

To avoid any further enquiry, the usual tactic used by the law enforcement agencies is to register a case against the deceased for illegal possession of arms or ammunition and also to blame the deceased of being involved with the underground anti-national forces operating in the region. Such allegations and fabrication of evidence has far reaching effects. While on one hand these allegations are made by the police with an intention to keep the protesters if any at bay, such an allegation renders a permanent scar upon the relatives of the deceased.

With an allegation of involvement with the underground forces operating in the region, all future claims by the relatives of the deceased could be also to a certain extent prevented. In the absence of any other mechanism to investigate into these cases other than the local police, most of these murders escape investigations. Whoever try to raise a voice could also be threatened by the police that they are trying to campaign for the underground cadres.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter to the authorities mentioned below expressing your concern over this case. The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions calling for an intervention in this case.

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