Court orders probe into killing of youth by troops

Imphal, Apr 10 (UNI) The Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court has issued a notice, returnable within four weeks, in connection with the killing of Khumanthem Ajitkumar, alias Naoba Singh, after his arrest by the 19 Rajput Rifles.

A division bench, comprising Mr Justices T Nandakumar Singh and B D Agarwal, issued the notice yesterday following a Writ Petition filed by Khumanthem Nagor Singh, the father of the deceased.

The petitioner contended that on the intervening night of March 14 and 15, 2004, a team of 19 Rajput Rifles (Bikaner), stationed at Leimakhong, Imphal, barged into his house and took away his son.

The personnel also ransacked household articles. At the time of arrest no arrest memo was issued to the family members.

Subsequently, the petition stated, the personnel killed Khumanthem Ajitkumar in ''a stage managed encounter.'' The respondents listed in the case include the Union of India, represented by the Defence Secretary and the Home Secretary, the GOC, 57 Mountain Division and the Commanding Officer, 19 Rajput Rifles, the state of Manipur represented by the Principal Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police.

The Writ Petition was filed at the initiative of Human Rights Law Network (Manipur).

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