The Kuki-Zo women in Lamka took to the streets on Wednesday (July 24) over the killing of three Hmar youths by the Assam police in an alleged “fake encounter” in Cachar district of Assam recently.
The protest rally in Lamka was organised by the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) and the Hmar Women Association (HWA).
The rally, which began at 11 AM from Muolvaiphei playground and concluded at the Wall of Remembrance near Peace Ground in Lamka, witnessed a large turnout of women protesters demanding justice for the deceased.
They have called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident to uncover the truth behind the deaths.
The protesters carried placards with messages such as “Justice for Every Citizen of India”, “Fair Trial Not False Encounter”, “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, “Stop Fake Encounters” and “Fake Encounter is the Mother of Lawlessness.”
They also chanted slogans like “We Demand Justice”, “We Demand Judicial Enquiry” and “Assam Police, Down Down”.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to union home minister Amit Shah through the DC of Churachandpur district of Manipur, seeking justice for the families of the three deceased Hmar youths.
In a memorandum submitted to the Home Minister, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights and the Hmar Women Association highlighted the deaths of Lallungawi Hmar (21), Lalbiekkung Hmar (33), and K. Joshua Lalrinsang (35), who were killed in what the organizations claim was a staged encounter by the Assam Police in Cachar district on 16th July 2024.
The memorandum details several grave violations of fundamental and human rights, asserting that the Assam Police criminalized the youths without trial and failed to follow due process. Key points of the memorandum include:
The organizations state that it remains unclear under which section of the law the deceased were arrested and subsequently killed. The police allegedly did not inform the individuals of the reason for their arrest, violating Article 22(1) of the Constitution.
The Assam Police did not produce the deceased before a magistrate within 24 hours, violating legal procedures and keeping the individuals in police custody unlawfully.
Families of the deceased were not informed about the arrests, learning of the deaths through social media, which violates Article 22(2) of the Constitution.
The deceased were allegedly denied their right to consult legal aid, despite spending the night at the police station.
Videos circulating on the internet show the youths cooperating with the police and later being harassed while blindfolded and with their hands tied. This evidence contradicts police claims that the deaths occurred during a cross-fire exchange with militants.
Violation of Fundamental Rights: The memorandum highlights that the victims were denied the right to equality and a fair trial, protected under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
The protest rally was also held at various Kuki- Zo dominated areas such as in Jiribam, Chandel District, Tengnoupal and Halflong, NC Hills in Assam.
Thingkho Le Malcha (TLM) is a traditional method of communication used to send out messages across the Kuki hills during the Anglo-Kuki War,1917-1919... more
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