A 60-year-old and a 39-year-old have been taken into custody in Imphal after a man from Assam was fatally attacked with a machete outside an Axis Bank branch on September 7, Manipur Police said.
Who was the victim
The man belonged to Borojalenga village in Assam's Silchar district and had been putting up at Thangal Bazar in Imphal at the time of the incident, according to police.
How the attack unfolded
Police said the victim was set upon near the Axis Bank branch, where his throat was cut with a machete, leading to his death at the spot. The case is being investigated by City Police Station, where an FIR was filed over the killing.
The arrests
Officers identified the two men held in the case as Yendrembam Paona Singh, 60, and Laishram Ngongo Meitei, 39, both from Kanglasiphai Makha Leikai. Investigators said the pair were traced through the probe opened after the FIR was registered.
A confession over a ganja dispute
During questioning, Singh is said to have owned up to the attack, telling investigators the killing was carried out in revenge after a falling out with the victim over dealings in contraband ganja between them. Police said Singh had travelled to Thangal Bazar together with Meitei with the specific intention of killing the victim.
Evidence recovered
Investigators have seized clothing stained with blood that Singh is alleged to have been wearing at the time of the attack. The two-wheeler the accused reportedly used to reach the spot where the killing took place has also been recovered as evidence.
What happens next
Police said the investigation into the killing is continuing, and further details, including any additional arrests or charges, are expected as the probe progresses.
