CBI to probe into Vairengte missing boy case

Aizawl, Oct 20 (UNI) A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrived at Mizoram to probe into the case of a boy missing from Vairengte under Kolasib district.

Kolasib additional Superintendent of Police (SP) Lalremmuana told UNI here today that the three-member CBI team, led by District Superintendent of Police Prakash Chand, arrived at Kolasib a few days back and after a brief meeting with the SP, started an investigation from yesterday.

Shillongthanga, then aged 11, son of Chhungrothanga of Vairengte, went missing since 2000, allegedly abducted by Lt Col Kulwan Singh, then administrative officer at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Welfare School (CIJWS) at Vairengte.

The CBI sleuths questioned several people, including some civilians who were close to Kulwan Singh, Young Mizo Association leaders and the missing boy's father, he said, adding that the boy's parents had also arrived from Aizawl.

The boy's parents had moved to Aizawl after their son went missing.

Sources said Kulwan Singh, with the permission of the boy's parents, had employed the boy in 2000 as a domestic help at his house at Chandigarh for Rs 500 per month.

However, nothing was heard from neither Kulwan Singh nor the boy since then.

Sources said Kulwan Singh (now colonel) is presently posted at Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army officer had allegedly taken away two other boys of Vairengte in similar circumstances earlier in 1987 and 1989 respectively.

After years of incommunicado, the two boys Bawitea and Thangliankhuma surprisingly came back to their parents a few years back, but not Shillongthanga.

Chungrothanga had pleaded with the Manipur Chief Minister for a CBI probe.

Human rights activist Ruatfela Nu had threatened to go on a fast-unto-death to demand CBI probe, which she later called off after assurance from Mizoram chief secretary Haukhum Hauzel and then Director General of Police Lalngheta Sailo, sources said.

Vairengte MLA and Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana had moved the National Human Rights Commission which instructed the state Home department to initiate an investigation to trace the accused Lt Col Kulwan Singh.

Meanwhile, a Guwahati-based advocate submitted a Public Interest Litigation to Gauhati High Court which ordered CBI inquiry, the SP said.

UNI