Tipaimukh Dam Now Turns Prey to Fraud

Source: The Sangai Express

Tuithaphai, Feb 3: Eight youths, including a teenage girl were deceived by an agent who allegedly collected money worth tens of thousands from them in return for a falsified job at the yet to be cleared and controversial marred Tipaimukh mega Dam project. The youths hailing mainly from Imphal West and Thoubal districts had paid one Shamkishore alias Angoubi of Wangjing Wangkhei in Thoubal, a ransom amounting from Rs 20,000 to 40,000 for a Soil Test and Supervisor job at the dam site in the early part of last year.

The accused, who happens to be a close relative of some of the victims allegedly convinced them to pay Rs 20,000 for the soil test and Rs 40,000 for the supervisor jobs.

On January 28, eight of them in the company of their agent headed for Tipaimukh from Imphal and arrived at Jiribam, where the office of their alleged employer was housed. On their arrival there, they saw nothing of sort but without reservation they continued to follow their agent who said the office had shifted to the dam site.

However after travelling sometime on foot, sometime by boat and sometime by Sumo for three days, they still failed to get hold of the office they were suppose to work. Unwilling to take any more chances, the youths after their initial apprehension at Jiribam approached the first security out-post they run into, at Sipuikawm village.

The 12 Madras Regiment that manned the interior out-post then enquired the matter and on finding no substantial evidence on the existence of such jobs, transfered them to the 27 Sector Assam Rifles here, who again referred them to the police today.

Khangenbam Deni Singh, a resident of Wangjing Bazar of Thoubal district, one of the victim who was supposed to get the soil test job said they were issued Identity cards, under Tipaimukh Project Dam, 118 UFF, Ravi Gupta, Shillong. When they contested that any Government issued I-cards should have their insignia and the agent allegedly told them that theirs was better-off than that of the Governments.

Angoubi told this correspondent that he was working under the behest of one lady from Babu Bazar, Thoubal. Identifying his superior as Binasakhi, he also claimed that her mobile number was already in possession of the police. But the local police still unwilling to share anything that already is in their hand as of now refuse to divulge it. All eight victims and their guide, Diamong Thang, 18 of Ngampabung, Vangai Range, hired from Jiribam were released today.

At the time of filing this report the police here were yet to lodge any complaint in this regard as they are still in the process of referring the case to their counterparts in Thoubal.

Meanwhile, a twenty-nine-year-old youth Chanam Amuba Singh today stabbed a hotel-boy at Star Guest house in New Bazar with a dagger that blows him unconscious. Amuba is said to have told the police, he was due to deliver a jewellery to the proprietor of the guest house but in her absence the hotel-boy identified as Pauthianmawi of Lamjang village try to snatch the item, ensuing to a fish-fight and the subsequent use of the dagger. The version of the hotel-boy who receives multiple injuries on his head and legs could not be obtained as he still was unable to speak even late in the evening. He is treated at the district hospital here.