Gauhati HC serves notice to troops on killing of youth

Imphal, May 9 (UNI) The Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court has served a notice to the Assam Rifles(AR) over the alleged killing of one Pukhrambam Suranjoy in Imphal by the personnel of 4 AR.

A division bench, comprising Justice U R Saha and Justice K Meruno issued the notice yesterday following a writ petition filed by Pukhrambam Sharmila, the deceased's sister. The writ petition was filed at the initiative of the Human Rights Law Network(Manipur).

The petitioner had alleged that on October 17, 2006, AR personnel came to the house of Pukhrambam Suranjoy Singh and was later shot dead by the troops.

On October 28, 2006, Bipin, Suranjoy's younger brother, lodged a written report with the Officer-in-Charge, Lamphel police station following which the chief minister had consented to institute an inquiry to be conducted by the Superintendent of Police, Imphal East. It was said the report would be submitted within a month.

However, no inquiry report had so far been submitted to the government, the HRLN said.

It added that the act of the AR personnel amounted to violation of the right to life as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.

Hence the case was filed to punish the 'errant' AR personnel and claim adequate compensation.

UNI