New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case of a seven-year-old boy of mixed Kuki-Meitei parentage being burnt alive along with his mother and aunt for further investigation. It is among the 20 cases taken over by CBI, which has begun its probe into the ethnic clashes that erupted in the state on May 3, reported news agency PTI.
More than 160 people have been killed, and several hundred injured since ethnic violence first broke out in the state on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
According to PTI, on June 4, the boy, Tonsing Hangsing, was killed when an ambulance being escorted by police was attacked by a mob and set ablaze in West Imphal district's Iroisemba.
He was accompanied by his mother and aunt -- Meena Hangsing and Lydia Lourembam -- who were taking him to a hospital in the Manipur capital after he suffered a bullet injury in his head during a shootout.
While the boy's mother was from the Meitei community, his father was a Kuki, reported PTI.
Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been handed over two FIRs -- one filed by police at the Lamphel station and the other filed by the boy's father -- Joshua Hangsing -- at the Kangpokpi police station.
As per the agency, the case at the Lamphel police station has been registered under sections pertaining to murder while the one at Kangpokpi has been registered under attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
A driver and a nurse were also present at the ambulance with Tonsing when the mob attacked them, officials said. However, they were allowed to escape while police personnel, who had fired in the air, had to retreat.
Members of the mob paid no heed to repeated pleas by the boy's mother and aunt to let them go, and set the ambulance on fire with them inside the vehicle, the officials said.
Tonsing, who was staying at a relief camp like many others, was injured when a bullet ricocheted from an iron pillar, they said and added that the camp was attacked by a group of armed men from the "majority community" of the northeastern state.
Following the incident, a senior army officer immediately got in touch with the Imphal superintendent of police to seek passage so that the boy can be taken to the hospital, the officials said.
In his complaint, Joshua had said that on June 4, a Meitei mob of Meitei Leepun, Arambai Tenggol and Kangleipak Kanba Lup groups stopped the ambulance near Iroisemba and set it ablaze with people inside.