Assam Rifles deserter joins PLA

Imphal, January 13: One Assam Rifles jawan Akoijam Surjit who deserted with an LMG and ammunition from his Kakching Lamkhai post in the night of January 3 has reached the General HQs of the People?s Liberation Army, the armed wing of the RPF. At a mobile camp of the PLA somewhere along the Indo-Myanmar border, AK Surjit, son of late AK Ibotombi of Yairipok Bishnu Mayai Leikai formally handed over the LMG along with 10 magazines containing 240 ammunition to the camp-in-charge of the GHQ, PLA today. Explaining why he chose to desert the AR camp, Surjit said he could not tolerate the ?excesses committed by the Assam rifles.? Outraging the modesty of women, fake encounters and fake propaganda are the regular routine of Assam Rifles personnel, he charged. The story that two jawans of the AR were injured in the bomb attack at Malom minutes before the 10 civilians were mowed down is wrong and concocted, he said alleging that the two jawans were shot in the leg by an order of a Major. Surjit pledged that he would discharge his duty sincerely as a member of PLA. The Chief-in-charge of the Department of Communication and Publicity, RPF said the fact that a jawan of Central force has joined the PLA is a momentous occasion in the freedom struggle of the outfit. This also a blow on the Indian security force, he added. RPF will always keep its door open to the service men if they want to join the freedom movement, the leader said. Replying to a query, the Chief-in-charge said that so far 10 persons who were in the state and central forces including Surjit have joined them. Surjit said he was given late hour duty at bunker number 7 and about 10.45 pm he untied the screw of the LMG in the absence of his co-duty partner. When his partner climbed up the bunker Surjit knocked him unconscious. He spent the night in a house and the next day he contacted the authority of Division I of PLA. He reached the general HQs of PLA on January 5.