Assam: Families refuse to accept bodies of deceased suspected militants

Silchar, July 27: In a latest development, family members of the three suspected militants who were killed in the gun battle with police on July 17 near the Assam-Mizoram interstate border, have refused to accept the bodies of the three persons.

Talking to reporters on Friday, the families of the deceased persons said that by any stretch of imagination, they are not ready to accept the claims made by Assam Police that those killed in the incident were militants and made it clear that they will not receive the dead bodies until justice is provided.

“We believe that this was an alleged custodial killing and hence we seek justice. Until we are provided justice, we will not receive the bodies of the one killed in the incident. We demand an independent investigation into the entire case,” the family members maintained.

It may be mentioned that a large contingent of the Hmar community took to the streets at Hmarkhawlien village under Lakhipur subdivision of the Cachar district last Monday protesting the custodial death of three persons. They also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma demanding an independent probe into the incident.