IMPHAL: An Army jawan was abducted and later killed by unidentified assailants at Neikanlong, Happy Valley in Imphal West. The deceased jawan has been identified as Serto Thangthang Kom from 474B, DSC platoon of 302 company of the Indian Army.
According to a chilling account provided by his 10-year-old son, the lone eyewitness to the crime, three unidentified men forcefully entered their premises around 10:00 am and one of them held a pistol to Serto’s head, forcing him into a white-coloured vehicle before speeding away.
The family was worried with no information about Serto’s whereabouts, until his lifeless body was located in Khuningthek Village, East of Mongjam, under the jurisdiction of Sogolmang Police Station in Imphal East at approximately 9:30 am on Sunday.
His identity was confirmed by his brother and brother-in-law, revealing that Serto had died due to a single gunshot wound to his head. Authorities are now awaiting the post-mortem report to shed further light on this brutal act.
In an official statement, the Army expressed its profound condemnation of the cold-blooded murder of Serto Thangthang Kom. The armed forces reiterated their commitment to standing firmly beside his family during this period of grief.
Serto has been survived by his wife, daughter, and a son. The family has decided to conduct the last rites as per their wishes.
Earlier on September 15, Manipur’s IGP (Administration) K Jayanta had informed that the ongoing unrest in the state has claimed 175 lives, with 165 of the deceased identified. While 79 bodies have been returned to families, 96 remain unclaimed across JNIMS (26), RIMS (28), and Churachandpur district hospital (42), he had added.
During a media briefing at the Police Headquarters last Friday, IGP K Jayanta also noted that, amid the strife, 5,668 arms were stolen from police stockpiles. Of these, 1,329 have been retrieved as of September 14.
