North East News Agency

In another daring attack on security personnel, four policemen including Officer-in-charge of Thoubal district police commando Inspector N Lokhon were killed in Manipur. Claiming responsibility for gunning down the Thoubal commando OC, the proscribed Revolutionary People’s Front claimed that the attack was launched due to Lokhon ‘s indulgence in committing atrocities against innocent civilians, grabbing the victims’ properties, immoral activities and eliminating innocent persons. A statement issued by the outfit’s assistant chief of department of communication and publicity clarified that the attack is not connected to avenge killing of RPF cadres and expressed sorrow at the loss of lives of some other security personnel. Identifying the slain attacker as sergeant Bikash and informing that he (Bikash) committed suicide rather than fall into the hands of the police; the RPF statement described the sergeant’s action as a fall out of Lokhon disregarding chastity of Manipuri womenfolk.

According reports, the incident occurred when a team of Thoubal police commandos under Inspector N Lokhon were deployed near Thoubal Bazar Thongkhong (bridge) for normal frisking duty. Lokhon, who had been at the centre of containing insurgency movement in the State, was seated at the police Gypsy parked near the commando frisking site when some unidentified armed persons opened fire from close range. Lokhon and two commando personnel who were also nearby died on the spot while the driver and three others sustained bullet wounds, while an assailant was slain in retaliatory firing.

Full state honours were paid to the four commando personnel at a solemn ceremony at the 1st Manipur Rifles grounds. Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh led his cabinet colleagues and top state police and civil officials as well as representatives of the Central security forces in offering wreaths to the bodies of the slain personnel

Gun salute was also offered by a guard of honour of the Manipur Rifles. Amidst the sounding of the Last Post, two minutes silence was also observed by the gathering for the peace of the departed souls. The Chief Minister described the incident as a very unfortunate one. Such internecine killing cannot bring a solution to the problem, he said.

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