Accused remanded
19-Jan-2026
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 19: Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West today remanded a 42-year-old man, accused of murdering Karam Nilakanta (61), to judicial custody till February 2.
The alleged murder took place on January 13 night at a locality under the jurisdiction of Singjamei police station.
The accused hails from Imphal West. While his son is also a suspect in the case, the child in conflict with law has been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, Imphal West and placed in an observation home for 8 days till January 21.
The accused was produced before the Court today after the completion of the police custody period.
Praying for remanding the accused to judicial custody, the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) submitted that the case was registered following a complaint filed by the victim's brother.
According to a police complaint, the alleged murder took place after a scuffle broke out between the accused and the victim's son on the night of January 13.
On the night at around 10 pm, the accused repeatedly knocked the window of the house of the victim, and complained why there was water on the pathway. An argument and a scuffle then broke out between the accused person who appeared to be drunk and the son of the victim.
The victim then rushed in to defuse the commotion, and told the accused person that the water spilling on the pathway was due to a leakage.
During the commotion, the accused repeatedly punched the victim on his head "with the intention to kill him". The accused person's son also allegedly hit the victim, said the complaint.
Suffering multiple blows on the head, the victim fell on the ground unconscious. He was rushed to the Noor Hospital, Lilong, but was declared dead by doctors, said the complaint.
The victim was again taken to Shija Hospital, but the doctors at the hospital also declared him dead, added the complaint.
An initial attempt to arrest the accused in hiding did not succeed.
After receiving information that the accused was hiding at a house located near Sawombung gate, police launched a raid but did not find him.
The accused surrendered to the police at around 6 pm of January 14. His son, a child in conflict with law (CCL), was also apprehended from Heirangoithong Makha Keibung Oinam Leikai.
The Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) submitted that during interrogation, the accused disclosed that there was water accumulated on the pathway and he repeatedly knocked the window of the victim's house out of frustration for not responding.
The accused claimed the victim's son first pushed him and he fell down. Later, when the victim intervened, he punched him. The victim fell down and his head hit the ground.
The wife of the accused then got involved and during the commotion, they did not pay attention to the victim who was injured and lying on the ground.
The APP said the accused received the news of the victim's death later late at night, and he fled along with his son to evade police arrest.
The APP said the victim confessed that the police's attempt to arrest them failed initially because they raided the wrong house.
The accused and the son were hiding in a house near Sawombung gate, but the police raided the neighbouring house. They took their chance and fled into the field. They slept in the field, said the APP.
The Court, after hearing the submission of the APP and on perusal of the case records, sent the accused to judicial custody till February 2.