New Delhi: The CBI has filed a chargesheet against seven accused in the looting of arms and ammunition from the Bishnupur police armory during the Manipur ethnic violence last year, officials said on Sunday. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently filed its charge sheet before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kamrup (Metro) in Guwahati, Assam. The accused named in the charge sheet are Laishram Prem Singh, Khumukcham Dhiren alias Thapakpa, Moirangthem Anand Singh, Athokpam Kajit alias Kishorejeet, Laukrakpam Michael Mangangcha alias Michael, Konthoujam Romojit Meitei alias Romojit and Keesham Johnson alias Johnson. On August 3 last year, a mob looted over 300 weapons and 19,800 rounds of ammunition from two rooms of the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion headquarters at Naransina in Bishnupur. About 9,000 bullets of various calibres, one AK series assault rifle, three ‘lethal’ rifles, 195 self-loading rifles, five MP-5 guns, 16. According to officials, 9 mm pistols, 25 bulletproof jackets, 21 carbines and 124 hand grenades, among other things, were looted by the mob. A crowd had gathered there to march towards Churachandpur, where tribals were planning a mass burial of their people killed in the caste clashes that broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year. So far 219 people have lost their lives and several hundred have been injured in the caste violence that broke out after the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for granting them Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Meitei people constitute about 53 percent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. The tribals – Naga and Kuki – constitute slightly more than 40 percent and live in the hill districts.
CBI files charge sheet against seven in Bishnupur armory robbery case
