Meitei Pangal driver injured in mob action at Takhel died; JAC demands arrest of the culprits within 48 hours

A Meitei Pangal driver who sustained serious injury after a group of people assaulted him along with three others at Takhel Madilok in Imphal East district died yesterday while undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity. A Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed in connection with the death of the Meitei Pangal Driver has demanded the arrest and punishment of those culprits involved in the assault which led to his death within 48 hours.
Talking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today afternoon, the Convenor of the JAC, Md. Rafi Khan said that the ill-fated driver, who died yesterday evening is identified as Sangomsungpham Sahir Khan @ Sana, son of (Late) Md. Abdur Rahim of Kshtri Bengoon Awang Leikai in Imphal East district. He along with another driver MD. Abir Khan from Soro in Kakching district presently staying in a rented room at Hatta Golapti was hired for the transportation of cow by two Muslim women identified as Nganbi and Victoria. Nganbi married a Meitei man identified as Nanao from Takhel Madilok, while Victoria married a Kuki man. The drivers along with the two ladies went to ferry the cow on October 19, 2023. After reaching the place a heated argument occurred between the two ladies over the cow – Nganbi and Victoria, the JAC convenor told the media persons. He further said that after that large number of people from the Takhel area gathered and intervened by assaulting all four of them. The convenor even alleged that all four of them were beaten blue and black by blindfolding them. He said a team of Lamlai Police came and rescued them and rushed them to Sawombung PHC at around 6.30 pm of that day (Oct 19). As the condition of driver Sana deteriorated, he was referred to Raj Medicity Hospital but died yesterday. The other driver Md. Abir Khan is reported to be undergoing treatment at Thoubal Hospital. But the whereabouts of Victoria, the lady married to a Kuki man is not known. The JAC convenor opined that she might have absconded to safer area.
JAC convenor Md. Rafi Khan said that Meitei Pangal today is caught in the conflict between Meitei and the Kuki. Some days back Kuki group assaulted a Meitei Pangal Driver at Moreh and now another Meitei Pangal driver died yesterday after being assaulted by a Meitei group. The JAC formed against the death of Sahir @ Sana demanded the arrest of the culprits involved in the killing of Sahir @ Sana within 48 hours by taking up a suo-moto case of the Oct 19, Takhel incident at which the four were brutally assaulted. If fails, the JAC will not accept the dead body and will launch a series of intense agitation along with the CSOs, Club members, and the Meira Paibi, Md. Rafi said.