Zilhem Khongsai (57), son of (L) Thongthang Khongsai was shot dead by unknown miscreants on Monday night. He was the chief of Naphai village near Molkon Bazar, located around 9 Km from Saikul Sub-Divisional Headquarters.
According to a reliable source, unknown five miscreants called out the village chief from his residence at around 11.50 PM and shot him dead a few meters away from his residence.
The village chief had reportedly alerted one of his close relatives when they passed by her house calling her and shouting that he had been taken away by some unknown miscreants.
A few moments later, a gunshot was heard and when the villagers rushed to the spot they found the chief lying in a pool of blood but still breathing. They immediately rushed him to CHC Saikul where the doctor declared him brought dead, the source said.
As per the doctor, a bullet injury mark was seen below his left chest in the heart portion and exited on the right side of his back. The bullet injury mark is not suspected to be of automatic weapons.
The deceased family reportedly lodged an FIR with Saikul Police Station on the same night in connection with the incident. Later, police deposited the body at RIMS morgue for post mortem, it added.
Nothing about the accused and the reason behind the killing could be ascertained till the time of filing this report. However, the deceased village chief has issued a notice to support the Manipur government’s war on drugs. He objected to the poppy plantation in his area.