Thousands from Hmar Community Protest Alleged Fake Encounter in Hmarkhawlein, Demands Judicial Enquiry

Thousands of members of the Hmar community from Barak Valley gathered in Hmarkhawlein village of Lakhipur in Cachar district this morning, donning black dresses, to protest the deaths of three youths in an alleged fake encounter. The deceased, Lalbiekking Hma, Joshua Hmar and Lallungawi Hmar, were claimed by Cachar Police to be suspected militants who died in a crossfire at Bhuban Pahar on July 17, 2024. However, the Hmar community and various tribal associations have contested this account, asserting that the youths were victims of extra-judicial killings. The people of this ethnic tribal community demand an independent judicial enquiry.

The protest saw a large turnout of Hmar people marching with placards, demanding a thorough investigation into the incident. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Civil of Lakhipur, calling for justice and accountability. They vehemently denied the police’s claims that the three youths were militants, instead accusing the police of staging a fake encounter.

The day before the incident, the Cachar police had reportedly arrested the three youths in Dholai Ganganagar with arms. Later that night, they were taken to Bhuban Hills for an operation when militants allegedly fired upon the police, leading to the deaths of the three youths in the ensuing crossfire. The Superintendent of Police of Cachar had stated that the deceased were affiliated with a militant organization.
Family members of the deceased have filed a case at Lakhipur police station, insisting that the youths were not involved with any militant group. During the protest, a grieving woman leading the march expressed deep anguish, questioning the police’s narrative. “We are very pained today that our three sons, our three brothers were killed in a fake encounter by Kachudaram Police. We demand a judicial inquiry against the police involved,” she said. She pointed to discrepancies such as the presence of videos showing the youths in civilian clothes, yet in death, they were found wearing camouflage uniforms typically associated with militants.

Another person at the protest ground said, “We believe that when a person be it a criminal or an innocent if they are in police custody, they are safe. We believe the police are independent of any colour and are not communal, but that was proven wrong by the Cachar Police. They died in the custody of Cachar Police and this is an inhuman act”.
The memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister of Assam through the SDO included four key demands:

1. An Independent Inquiry to be set up without further ado involving an IGP Rank Police Officer from outside the state of Assam or any Senior Police Officer independent of the Assam Police and the Assam Government, as an IO to register an FIR, and after registration to investigate and prosecute the guilty in accordance with the law.

2. All the Police personnel and others identified in the videos, be arrested, suspended and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

3. The Government of Assam to pay compensation of 1 crore each to the families of the deceased.

4. Since the dead bodies of the three deceased are still lying in the morgue, to impress upon the Chief Secretary, State of Mizoram to have the post-mortem done on the three bodies by doctors from the State of Mizoram forthwith.