| Perpetrator
Personnel of 15 Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)
Rifles of the Indian Army stationed at Manipur
Circumstances of
disappearance
Kangujam Loken had gone out
for a swim in the village pond that fateful afternoon, on 23 September
1980. A few minutes later, his family members recieved a report that Loken
was picked up by personnel of J & K Rifles who came in two jeeps. Two
other youths namely Thokchom Lokendro and Kangujam Iboyaima were also
picked up by the same army team, that day. However, Kangujam Iboyaima
Singh was released from the army custody on 26 September. But Loken and
Lokendro were never released, nor did they returned home.
SEARCH EFFORTS
The next day, LokenŐs
brother filed a complaint with the Singjamei Police Station. But nothing
came out of it. His mother, Thoibi Devi filed a Habeas Corpus
(Civil Rule No. 129) at the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench. The petition
was rejected by a single bench of the High Court on 8 September 1989 on
the basis of the Army claim that the two youths have already been
released. Another petition (Writ Appeal No.21 of 1981) challenging the
earlier verdict was also dismissed by a division bench of the same court.
Then, Thoibi Devi jointly
moved the Supreme Court of India with the mother of Thokchom Lokendro in
1989 (Criminal Appeal No. 580-581 of 1989). The Apex Court directed the
District Judge, Manipur to conduct an inquiry to ascertain the facts. The
Inquiry Report, submitted on 6 October 1990 to the Apex Court, established
that Loken and Lokendro were arrested by J&K Rifles and 'were not
released yet'. (For further details please see the fact-sheet of
Thokchom Lokendro)
PRESENT STATUS
Till date, the state
government have not taken up any step either for reparation of the
bereaved family or for indictment and prosecution of the perpetrators. In
1999, the family filed a miscellaneous case before the Court of Civil
Judge, Senior Division No. 1 Manipur seeking decrees for payment of
compensation of Rs. 15 lakhs for wrongful detention of Lokendro from 23
September 1980 and also for torturing him till death by the Army
personnel. The same court in December last year sought replies (opposite
statements) from the respondents making it returnable by one month.
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