Hmar Families Lay Youths to Rest After Court Order; Await Justice in Alleged Staged Encounter

The bodies of three young men from the Hmar community, who died in a disputed encounter with Assam Police, were finally laid to rest today in Lakhipur, Cachar, after a month of legal battles. The Guwahati High Court ordered the release of the bodies to their families, who claimed the deaths were the result of a staged encounter.

The incident, which has sparked outrage and allegations of foul play, began on 16 July when Assam Police arrested the three Hmar youths from Dholai Ganganagar in Cachar district. The following night, during a police operation near the Assam-Mizoram border at Bhuban Hill, a shootout reportedly occurred between the police and alleged militants, resulting in the deaths of the three detainees.

Assam Police identified the deceased as militants, but the families and community members strongly contest this claim. The post-mortem and inquest reports from Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) revealed not only bullet wounds but also injuries caused by blunt force, raising further questions about the nature of their deaths. The reports noted that Lallungawi, one of the deceased, sustained injuries in the thorax from a bullet fired from a rifle, and also had lacerations on his thigh and pressure abrasions on his right forearm.

Another victim, Joshua, was reported to have died instantly from head injuries caused by a bullet. However, his body also showed signs of multiple injuries from blunt force, with noticeable abrasions on his left thigh, left ankle joint, and right leg. The third youth, Lalbikung, succumbed to haemorrhagic shock due to bullet wounds, but his body also bore patterned bruises and pressure abrasions, suggesting he too suffered from blunt force trauma.

The controversy surrounding the deaths intensified after these findings, with the families alleging that the youths were victims of a fake encounter. They approached the Guwahati High Court, filing a petition to seek justice and proper investigation into the circumstances of their deaths. The court, in its 7 August order, permitted the families to take custody of the bodies for the last rites, after satisfying the authorities at SMCH regarding their identities.

The families, accompanied by community members, buried the three Hmar youths together in a solemn ceremony at Lakhipur. While addressing the media, a representative of the community expressed hope for justice, claiming that the post-mortem findings supported their allegations of a staged encounter. The representative emphasised that they were determined to pursue the case until justice was served.

As the case remains under judicial scrutiny, the Guwahati High Court has scheduled the next hearing for 10 September 2024. The court has directed the State to submit a detailed affidavit, addressing the claims made by the families and the evidence presented in the post-mortem reports.