Slain Army man's family agrees to take body after CM's assurance of action: Manipur tribal body

CM N Biren Singh has also assured of a high-level inquiry into the killing of the deceased Serto Thangthang Kom.

PTI, Imphal, Sep 18, 2023 : Family members of an Indian Army soldier, who was killed in Manipur last week, agreed to take his body on Monday after Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured them that stringent actions would be taken against those involved in the killing of the sepoy, a tribal organisation said.

The chief minister also told members of the organisation, which represents the deceased’s tribe, that a high-level inquiry would be conducted into the killing of Serto Thangthang Kom, an official of the tribal body said.

“Family members of Thangthang Kom agreed to take the dead body from the JNIMS morgue,” said Chungjahao Serto Kom, president of Kom Union, the apex body of the tribe.

“We met our chief minister in the morning at the CM secretariat and placed our demand. He agreed to conduct a high-level enquiry under an IG-ranked officer in connection with the killing. Also, the CM assured us to take stringent actions against those who committed the heinous crime,” Chungjahao said.

Kom Union president also said they were assured that security would be provided to their villages and compensation would be given to the next of kin of the slain sepoy.

“We are clueless about how it happened. The deceased was an innocent man living a simple life,” Chungjahao said.

The body of sepoy Thangthang Kom of the Army’s Defence Security Corps (DSC) platoon was found at Khuningthek village in Imphal East district on Sunday.

The sepoy hailed from Tarung in Imphal West, an official said, adding that he is survived by his wife, daughter and son.

Unidentified armed men abducted sepoy Thangthang Kom, who was on leave, from his home around 10 am on September 16, he said.

According to his 10-year-old son, who was the only eyewitness to the crime, three men entered their home while his father and he were working on the porch.

Retired army officer from the state, Lt. Gen L Nishikanta Singh, expressed grief over the killing of the soldier.

Kangpokpi district-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) has also condemned the killing