Imphal, Oct. 21 : The battered body of a young housewife, stripped to her lower undergarments, was found alongside a drain near a paddy field in Imphal East this morning.
Okram Tamphasana Devi, 18, a resident of Serou in Thoubal district, went missing after she left an Imphal court with her brother-in-law, Pukhrambam Momba Singh, yesterday.
When her body was found, her torso looked untouched — though she had injury marks on her face — but the garment covering her lower body was missing. Police later found her phanek, a traditional skirt-like garment, lying a little away from her body. A blood-stained stone was also found near the spot.
From the manner in which the body was found, the police suspect the woman was raped before being beaten to death, probably by Momba Singh.
“Only a post-mortem report can confirm the rape ,” a police official who inspected the body said.
Momba Singh is the husband of Bimuta Devi, younger sister of Tamphasana’s husband, Okram Chinglensana.
Chinglensana in now in jail, having been arrested about three months back on charges of having links with militants.
Okram Indrani Devi, Tamphasana’s mother-in-law, had arrived in Imphal only yesterday.
Indrani Devi today said she, with Tamphasana and Momba Singh, had gone to an Imphal court in connection with her son’s case yesterday.
While she stayed back at the court to talk to their lawyer, Momba Singh and Tamphasana left for his house. Since then the two were missing until Tamphasana’s body was recovered this morning.
A police team visited the suspect’s house in Imphal today looking for Momba Singh but he could not be traced. Though the police have not disclosed any further detail, a source said the police had recovered some material evidence from Momba Singh’s house.
“We have made some progress in the investigation. We are looking for the brother-in-law for questioning. He is absconding,” a police source said.
No comments:
Post a Comment