The Kakching district police have arrested a personnel from the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) named Salam Oken Meitei, aged 39, in connection with the death of Chingakham Malemnganba. The deceased, a 51-year-old local resident, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on March 13 at Keirak Muslim Makha Leikai. Salam, who is also from the same locality, is currently stationed with the Kakching district police commando and has been remanded into police custody for 10 days for investigation after appearing before a duty magistrate. Following his arrest, angry residents of the area, along with the deceased’s family, attempted to set Oken’s house ablaze. However, the Kakching District Police and Commando Unit intervened to manage the situation.
A Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed in response to Malemnganba’s killing, condemning it as a brutal act against an innocent citizen. The JAC organized a sit-in protest at Tejpur Primary School, pressuring authorities for a thorough and prompt investigation into the murder and demanding that all involved be identified by March 16. The committee has stated they will not claim the deceased’s body until the perpetrators are apprehended and has signaled that further democratic protests will occur if justice is not served promptly.
