TESTIMONY OF HEMAM NAREN

I, Shri Hemam Naren, aged about 32 years from Moirang Kiyam Leikai, P.O. /P.S.
Bishnupur, Manipur, am the first son of Shri H.Iboyaima and Ekasini Devi. I am a
victim of police and army torture.

The incident happened at 11pm on 17th July 2008 midnight, when I was
sleeping in my bedroom, four Army Personnel from 7th battalion Assam Rifles
suddenly entered my house and flashed the torchlight on my face. They asked me “Is
your name Naren?” at that moment; an army personnel handcuffed my hands and
threatened me to be silence and not to inform any of my family member. They
blindfolded me and pushed me inside their vehicle. I was so scared and thought it was
my last day, after reaching their camp they tied my hands, blindfolded my eyes and
pushed me into the interrogation cell. On the next morning they untied my hands and
freed my eyes. At that moment I came to know that I was at Moirang Khunou army
camp. A officer came to the room where I was holdup and gave me a cup of tea
asking me my army number but I told him that I was not associated with any
underground group. Then, they started beating brutally by asking again and again
‘what is your army number ?’. I beg them to stop beating me, I felt unconscious, when
I regain consciousness they started beating me again. I could not bear their torture
anymore, at last to get away from torture I gave a number blindly, then they stopped
torturing and handed me to the Moirang Police Station, I spent six days in Moirang
Police Station after that they shifted me in the Sajiwa Jail and charged me that I was
involved in the army ambushed at Sugnu and Thinungei. I was released from Sajiwa
Jail only when my family paid a sum of Rs. 30,000 to the authority.

After some months of the incident, one night on October 2008, 6th JAT
Regiment came to my home and arrested me again. I told them that I was a bail out
person but they didn’t listen to me. They took me to the Ngangkhalawai Army Camp
and started torturing me just like before. On the next day I was handed over to
Moirang Police Station again and put up in the custody for ten days. Then I was
produced at Bishnupur District Court and charged me on various cases, I was released
on bailed after giving the security bond.
 After going through the tortured by police and army personnel, I can not sleep
in the night when ever I hear the sound of vehicle, I feel I am still suffering the
trauma. As a tortured victim I would like to express my views and feeling to all the
organisation working on the field of Human Rights that this testimony may provide a
message to all those who have faced the same tortured like me to stand up and tell our
stories to the world that we shall get justice one day.