S Singlianmang Guite
CCpur, April 19, 2010: A day after Pilgrims at Thangching hills killed two and injured several others in an alleged mob violence, a fresh twist has emerged today with KSO Churachandpur issuing a statement that their findings, upon conducting a spot inquiry, were contrary to the allegations made in The Sangai Express.
‘The KSO after conducting a spot inquiry and collecting statements from the injured victims and the villagers found that the allegations made in The Sangai Express were contrary to what actually happened,’ wrote the organisation that sought to clarify their claims in eight points.

A couple of victims injured in the alleged mob violence, other than those treated in Imphal also narrated their side of the story to the local media today.
The student body, in their points of clarification, argued that there neither was there any grouping at the spot nor robbing of money or cell phones. ‘Instead it was the mountaineers and the killers who robbed the dead body of the two youths and those severely injured,’ it charged.
If the victims were so armed, then why didn’t they fire at least a round or two in defence, it said raising doubts and asserted that the absence of any sort of proof when the police picked up the corpses only validate the claim of the victims being robbed of their wallets, cell phones, braclets and others.
The corpses were found at the gathering place itself and not at a shadowy area, it also contended and asked how could a group of ten harass or molest 10,000 pilgrims who were present at every nook and corner of the hill range.
The brawl, according to a friend of the deceased Thensei Khongsai, started when he mistakenly stepped upon one pilgrim’s foot. ‘After that the mountaineers went on a rampage,’ the KSO statement said and identified Jangminlun Chongloi, one of the deceased, as a Class XII student of VK Tawna College here.
The mountaineers also asked all the injured their identities, it further contended and revealed that the injured father son duo were hired by vendors of the local wine/alcohol to elude the Army post and alleged that most of the mountaineers were under the influence of alcohol.
The KSO further appealed to the fourth estate not to ‘kindly’ publish only one-sided story or without proper information on incidents which could disturb the minds of the people and hinder the peaceful coexistence.
Meanwhile two of the victims of that fateful night recounted their story to this correspondent today at the District Hospital.
One Ginminlal, 20, son of Genpu of Kangvai village said he along with two other were enjoying the sight of the pilgrims when they heard about a brawl. ‘We went to have a closer look but some people asked our identity and when I responded to them with ‘Vaiphei’ they began thrashing me,’ he said. He claimed that he was knocked unconscious for three consecutive times, each within a minute of gaining consciousness.
Sitting by his side, his mother said, ‘Had it not been for Hillun, the chief of Gothol who rushed my son to the hospital on the same night he would be dead by now.’
Ngamhao, 25 son of Hemlun managed to barely narrate his story as he was brought to the hospital only at about 10 am today.
‘I have been left in the jungle as a dead man,’ he said.
He allegedly went to the pilgrim site along with one Nanao of Moirang, but lost contact as it was too crowded. Not long after he lost contact with his friend, some people asked him to reveal his identity, and upon revealing he was beaten by the group.
‘When I regained consciousness it was raining and I was in a pool of blood. Tree leaves and branches were all over me,’ he recounted of the horror he underwent.
Managing to reach Molcham village after trekking through the jungle at around 1 am early today, he was brought to the district hospital here by leaders of the KSO.
Terming the entire incident as brutal, Churachandpur District Students’ Union in a formal condemnation issued today said all and sundry must avoid such cowardly act in future.