CBI files chargesheet against nine accused in brutal murder of Naga woman in Manipur

Guwahati: In a significant breakthrough Manipur police rescued a 22-year-old student who was kidnapped from his hostel in Manipur and the CBI  filed a chargesheet against nine accused, allegedly involved in the brutal murder of a 55-year-old Naga woman in Manipur on July 15.

Informing that a youth Laishram was kidnapped from the DM College of Science New Boys Hostel on Friday afternoon,security sources said that police have arrested eight people in this connection on Saturday evening. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of Rs 15 lakh, but his parents approached police for his safe release. A search operation was launched and the victim was rescued in a day.

Security sources said that police also recovered a Ghaatak rifle, an AK-47, a pistol, ammunition and 13 mobile phones from those arrested.

Meanwhile the CBI has also filed a chargesheet against nine accused in connection with gruesome killing of a Naga woman.

The killing, captured in a video that went viral in August this year, had evoked widespread concern and tension since the Naga community had remained neutral amid the continuing violence between Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo since May 3.

The slain woman’s family is believed to have seen the video on July 23 but it was widely circulated only on August 4. The video purportedly showed M. Lucy Maring, 55, being shot at least 20 times from an automatic rifle till nothing is left of her head.

A CBI statement on Saturday said that the agency had filed the chargesheet before the special CBI judge in Guwahati, Assam.

It however did not name the dead or share details of the case except saying the chargesheet had been filed “in an ongoing investigation of a case”. The date and site of the murder that it mentioned coincided with Lucy’s killing.

“It was alleged that at about 12:10 PM on 15.07.2023, one female was forcibly detained at Sawombung Gate by a mob numbering about 100 persons, including armed miscreants and was forcibly abducted towards Keibi village in a car,” the CBI statement said.

“...The body of the female was recovered on the same day. CBI investigation revealed that the accused were involved in the said incident.”

An investigation is on to identify the other accused, the statement said.

“The public is reminded that the above findings are based on the investigation done by CBI and evidence collected by it. Under the Indian Law, accused are presumed to be innocent till their guilt is finally established after a fair trial,” the statement added.

Lamlai police station in Imphal East district had registered the case suo motu before the CBI took it over on a request from the Manipur government. Nine people, including five women, were arrested in the case.