Hmarkhawlien, July 27, 2011: In a joint press statement issued today by the Hmar National Union (Assam), Hmar Students’ Association (Barak Valley, Assam), and Hmar Inpui (Hmar Supreme House), Barak Valley Region in connection with the arrest and illegal detention of Mr. Ngursunthang on July 26, 2011 by the Assam police, the organisations condemned the systematic victimization, harassment and repeated attempts to blame the Hmar tribals for the killing of Babul Rongmei, Chairman of the Barak Valley Hill Tribes Development Council (BVHTDC). Ngursungthang is the former chairman of BVHTDC.
Babul Rongmei was shot dead by three unidentified assailants in his drawing room at his Silchar residence on July 10, 2011. One of the assailants was lynched by the crowd while two of his accomplices escaped.
In the joint press statement, the Hmar organisations also stated that the banned NSCN/GPRN (K) already owned the responsibility for the killing of Babul Rongmei and also declared the name of the slain assailant and his rank in the proscribed outfit.
The NSCN/GPRN (K) (Zeliangrong Region) in its press release on July 12, 2011 took responsibility for giving capital punishment to Babul Rongmei, and stated that the operation was launched in the interest of the Zeliangrong Nagas by the Demo team of Silchar town under the command of lieutenant Stenhawk.
The arrested former chairman of BVHTDC Ngursunthang also denied his alleged involvement in the killing and termed it as baseless, motivated and a conspiracy to malign him and tarnish his image before the public and demanded a high level inquiry, preferably by CBI, to investigate the case so that the truth was revealed before all.
Terming the repeated attempt of the police to blame of the killing of Babul Rongmei on the Hmar tribals as reprehensible and devoid of any justice, the Hmar organisations demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Ngursunthang, failure of which they threatened to undertake demonstration and impose indefinite strike along the NH-53 from July 28, 2011.
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