Imphal: A leader of the ruling BJP and a former soldier were arrested from Manipur’s border Moreh town in connection with the killing of police officer Chingtham Anand Kumar last year, police said on Tuesday.
The BJP leader was identified as Hemkholal Mate, 36, treasurer of the party’s Tengnoupal unit. Mate is also the chief of K Moulsang village and Finance Secretary of Mate Tribe Union (MTU).
Police said that a joint team of state forces on Monday night arrested Mate and prime accused, Philip Khaikholal Khongsai, an ex-serviceman as well as President of the Moreh Youth Club.
State BJP’s senior Vice President N. Nimbus Singh said that the party executive, in its emergency meeting immediately after Mate’s arrest, expelled him from the party.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Moreh in Tengnoupal district, Anand Kumar was killed by a sniper while he was on duty at Eastern Shine ground at the border town on October 31 last year. The SDPO was shot while he was supervising the cleaning of Eastern Shine Ground for helicopter landing at Moreh and subsequently succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Upon the arrest of the duo, people at the border town on Tuesday demanded their release, while Imphal valley witnessed widespread protests demanding handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and giving exemplary punishment of the detainees.
–IANS