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There were wounds and bruises on the bodies, including in private parts, of the three youths who were killed in an alleged encounter with Assam Police in Cachar district last month, according to post-mortem and inquest reports.
A set of government documents such as post-mortem and subsequent final opinion, inquest reports and state affidavit, which have been accessed by PTI, suggest that there were many wounds, bruises and injuries on the bodies of the trio that were not caused by bullets.
Alleging torture and extrajudicial killing, the family members had filed a writ petition before Gauhati high court and demanded an independent inquiry by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with officials from outside the state conducting the probe, besides a compensation of Rs 1 crore each, the petitioners' advocate Debasmita Ghosh said.
"The post-mortem report clearly states that there were many antemortem wounds on the three bodies. There were bruises on the private parts of the youths. These wounds can't be inflicted only by encounter," she told PTI.
The deceased youths, termed as suspected Hmar militants by Assam Police, were Lallungawi Hmar (21), Lalbikung Hmar (33) and Joshua (32). While Joshua hailed from Manipur, the other two were from Cachar.
Assam Police had claimed that the trio were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Cachar district on July 17 and several sophisticated firearms were seized from the spot.
As per the final opinion on the basis of the post-mortem, conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), there were 'multiple pressure abrasions... over the dorsal aspect of right forearm, 2 cm below elbow joint, reddish in colour' and these were 'antemortem and caused by blunt force impact' on Lallungawi's body.
The inquest report also pointed out that 'bruise/wound mark can be seen' in his private parts as well as 'many parts of the body'.
In case of Lalbikung, 'pressure abrasion' was seen on the face, neck, chest and posterior axillary line, and a 'patterned bruise' on the left leg was witnessed that were not caused by bullet injuries, the post-mortem and final opinion reports pointed out.
His inquest report mentioned multiple bruises and wounds all over his body and a cut mark on the rear, while stating injuries of private parts.
Joshua's body too bore marks of 'graze abrasion' that were 'antemortem and caused by blunt force impact' on chest, while there were 'muscle deep' injuries on left ankle joint and right leg below knee joint that were not inflicted upon by bullets.
The inquest report too pointed out cuts and bruises in 'majority parts' of his body and said that 'a wound mark (hole-like) can be seen' on the rear.
Hearing the case, a Division Bench comprising Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Soumitra Saikia on Wednesday noted that the petitioners have no objection to taking the custody of the bodies, which are lying at the morgue of SMCH, to perform their last rites.
'In the event the family members of the deceased desired to take away the dead bodies outside Assam by road, they would inform the Superintendent of Police, Cachar, who would do the needful to enable the family members of the deceased to take away the dead bodies.
'Their logistic support shall be provided up to the nearest airport or to the nearest border of Assam,' the order said.
The court also issued notice to the Assam government in relation to an Interlocutory Application for a direction to register the FIR lodged by the family members against the police personnel allegedly responsible for the death of the three youths.
Besides, the Bench accepted the plea of the state to file a detailed affidavit in the matter by August 30, while fixing September 10 for the next hearing.