Aizawl: Six people have been arrested and two minors detained in connection with the killing of a 29-year-old Assam Regiment jawan near Bualpui village in Mizoram’s Kolasib district, police said Wednesday.
A police official said the six accused have been remanded in judicial custody and lodged at the Kolasib District Prison and Correctional Centre. They were identified as Zoremthangi, 38; Emmanuel Lalchhanhima, 27; Lalhundika, 29; Lalnunfima, 26; David Remruatpuia, 18; and Malsawmtluanga, 24.
All six are residents of the Hmar Veng locality in Kawnpui town in Kolasib district. The two other accused are minors and have been placed under the supervision of the district Juvenile Justice Board. They have neither been taken into police custody nor sent to judicial custody, officials said.
The accused were booked at Kawnpui Police Station under Sections 103(1), 115 and 3(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 6(2) of the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Act, 2019.
The victim, Zakaria Lalhriattluanga, who was serving in the Assam Regiment of the Army and was posted in Jammu and Kashmir, was returning to his native New Builum village on leave. He arrived at Lengpui airport near Aizawl September 20 and was travelling towards his home in a truck driven by his friend John Laltanpuia, who had gone to receive him at the airport.
The incident took place near Bualpui along National Highway-306, close to the Coffee Board plantation, when two trucks reportedly faced difficulty crossing each other on a badly damaged stretch of the road.
After the mishap, an argument broke out between the drivers, following which a group of youths allegedly became involved and assaulted John Laltanpuia.
The jawan (Zakaria Lalhriattluanga) reportedly intervened to protect his friend and was attacked. He sustained serious injuries and later succumbed to his wounds.
Police subsequently arrested eight people in connection with the incident.
After a post-mortem examination, Lalhriattluanga’s body was handed over to his family. He was cremated Monday with full military honours.
Police said the case involves charges relating to culpable homicide amounting to murder, voluntarily causing hurt and common liability, besides provisions of the state liquor prohibition law.
The family of Lalhriattluanga said he was the sole breadwinner and had been supporting his elderly parents, while demanding justice for his killing. His mother, Lalthazovi, 60, said Lalhriattluanga joined the Assam Regiment in 2017 and was posted in Srinagar.
He was the second youngest of five siblings and had been shouldering the responsibility of supporting his parents. His father, V.L. Duailova, a septuagenarian and former pastor, and his mother are no longer able to earn a livelihood due to their advanced age. His younger brother, Stephen Lalrinngheta, works as a daily wage labourer to support the family, while his two elder brothers and sister have separate families, she said.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily
