'They Didn't Have Guns': Kin of 3 Hmar Men Call Assam Police's Encounter 'Fake'

Assam Police had claimed the men were killed in the crossfire during a 'special operation' against other militants.

Lalchunghnung, brother of 35-year-old Joshua Hmar, speaking to The Quint.

(Photo: Zijah Sherwani/The Quint)

"Joshua's child is distressed... He keeps asking, 'Where is my father?' We don't know whether to tell him his father is dead or alive," said Lalchunghnung, brother of 35-year-old Joshua Hmar, one of the three men killed in Assam's Cachar district last month.

On 17 July, Joshua Hmar, along with Lallungawi Hmar and Lalbiekkung Hmar, were killed in an alleged encounter on the border of conflict-hit Manipur. Assam Police had claimed that the three Hmar youth were 'militants' who accompanied them to a 'special operation' against other militants, during which they died in the crossfire. However, their families deny them being 'militants', adding that the police's claims 'don't add up'.

Assam Police's press note on the alleged encounter. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

In a first information report (FIR), the family members further stated that they only found out about the deaths of the three men through social media.

A copy of the FIR is attached below.

The FIR filed by the family members of the three Hmar youth. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The day after the alleged encounter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had posted on X, saying: "In an early morning operation, @cacharpolice killed 3 Hmar militants from Assam and neighbouring Manipur. Police also recovered 2 AK rifles, 1 other rifle, and 1 pistol. @gpsinghips."

Assam CM's tweet on the matter.

(Photo: screenshot/X)

Families Categorically Deny Militancy Connections

Speaking to The Quint, the family members alleged that Joshua, Lallungawi, and Lalbiekkung were targeted by the police.

"My brother Lallungawi is not a militant, and I cannot conceive of him ever being involved in militancy. Just like any other teenager, he had friends, but I cannot imagine him being involved in such activities," asserted Siemthang Hmar.

A picture of Lallungawi.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

He added that Lallungawi, who was only 21 years old, would cater to his family's domesticated animals.

Similarly, Joshua's brother Lalchunghnung claimed that the narrative that Joshua was a militant is "utterly wrong."

"Our villagers and family can testify to this. We are Christians and belong to the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Joshua held the position of overseeing missionary funds."

Lalchunghnung, Joshua's brother

Joshua, who hailed from Manipur's Churachandpur district, was a farmer.

A picture of Joshua Hmar.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Remembering Lalbiekkung, his father Lalthavel told The Quint that his son was "a hardworking farmer who cultivated pineapple and paddy. He regularly helped me."

Lalbiekkung.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The family belonged to Bhubonkhal area of Cachar.

'No Evidence of Carrying Guns'

Further, the families refuted Assam Police's claim that the three men were carrying guns. In its statement, the police had claimed that they apprehended the men "on the way towards Bhuban hills in an autorickshaw...loaded with sophisticated arms and ammunitions".

However, Lallungawi alleged, "When you watch the video of their apprehension in the autorickshaw, there is no evidence of them carrying a gun. There is no way they had a gun. I cannot comprehend how they could transport guns using an autorickshaw."

Almost 10 days after the alleged encounter, the Gauhati High Court on 26 July directed that the bodies of the three deceased should be preserved at the morgue, and the state should submit detailed post-mortem reports.

Though the families demanded the post-mortem be conducted outside Assam, the post-mortem was conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital in Assam.

The post-mortem reports, dated 17 July, accessed by The Quint, stated that all the injuries of at least one of the cases were "homicidal in nature" – and the final opinion will be submitted after their chemical analysis report.

"They were wrongfully blamed and killed extrajudicially. We will wait for the High Court's judgment to see if the perpetrators will be punished, and justice will be served. We cannot collect the bodies before this judgment is made," the families said.

They have also filed a rejoinder in the High Court, claiming that the three deceased were "brutally tortured" before they were "killed in a fake encounter by the Assam Police" – allegations which the police denied.

And they have accused CM Himanta Biswa Sarma of "ordering the killing."

A senior officer, requesting anonymity, told The Quint that the matter is sub-judice – and they will respect the decision of the court as and when it arrives.

The killings have led to large protest rallies over the past month by Kuki groups across Manipur and the Haflong area of Cachar.