Police Inspector Linked to Militants, Remove Him From Probe into Encounter, Mizoram HM tells Manipur Dy CM

The inspector, the Home Minister has said, is allegedly "hand-in-glove" with the group and even transported several hundred rounds of ammunition for the militants when he conducted a spot visit on May 21.
By Adam Halliday

Aizawl, May 29 : Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana has requested neighbouring Manipur’s Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei’s personal intervention to remove a police inspector tasked with investigating the encounter killing of the HPCD militant group’s “Sergeant” H C Malsawmkima.

The inspector, the Home Minister has said, is allegedly “hand-in-glove” with the group and even transported several hundred rounds of ammunition for the militants when he conducted a spot visit on May 21.

Malsawmkima, a Mizoram Police defector, was the main accused in the April 28 ambush on a convoy of three Mizoram MLAs near the inter-state border. The militants killed three policemen and injured six others, including two civilians, in the course of the attack.

Malsawmkima, who decamped with two rifles from an armed police camp in mid 2014 to join the HPCD, was identified as the leader of the group that waylaid the convoy.

R Lalzirliana’s letter details how the Mizoram Police team that shot dead Malsawmkima at Tiaulian (a village near the inter-state border within Manipur) in a pre-dawn operation immediately evacuated the body and evidences from the spot and later filed an FIR at Sakawrdai Police Station in north Mizoram, and how the FIR was transferred to Manipur Police which handed over the probe to Inspector Tlangthanzuala, the officer-in-charge of the Parbung Police Station.

​”​However, a technical input indicated that Inspector Tlangthanzuala is hand-in-glove with HPC(D) and was instigating them to take reprisal action ​Mizoram Police. ​This fact was conveyed to the Manipur Police but with no appropriate positive outcome.

“It was also revealed that approximately 500 rounds of ammunition supposedly sent by HPC(D) leaders from Rengkai to Vangai command via Tipaimukh road on 21st May 2015 was transported by the same officer in a police Gypsy when he proceeded to Tiaulian village in the aforesaid case and was also apparently accompanied by pro-HPC(D) TV cameraman and journalist on a Mahindra Bolero,” R Lalzirliana’s letter said.

​The Mizoram Home Minister requested the Manipur Dy.CM to “kindly look into the matter personally and initiate investigation” against the inspector and appoint someone else for the probe. ​

​​When contacted, Manipur DGP Shahid Ahmad said the Manipur Police was looking into the matter and awaiting final reports about the allegations before taking action against the inspector.

​”We a​re collecting verification into this. It will be verified and necessary action will be taken as per the verification report,” Ahmed said.