Dimapur: A family of four charred to death

By Munize Ali, TwoCircles.net

Family of Firoz Khan aka Johnny Khan is praying to Allah all the time. This prayer is for a shocking loss to their family when Khan, 35 years old, his wife Bejima Biwi aka Eliza,34 years old, daughters Jennifer, 14 years old and Tamana, 10 years old, were found charred to death at about 12.10 am of March 7, 2011 at Chumukedima town, about 8 kms away from Dimapur, Nagaland.


Support TwoCircles

The family of Firoz Khan originally hail from Ipum Mapal Khumudok village, under Imphal East, Manipur and were residing at a rented house belonging to Seleh Angami at Chumukedima area of Dimapur. Firoz’s father Siraj Khan worked under Nagaland police and went back to Manipur along with Firoz’s mother Riazun Biwi after retirement a few years back. Firoz married Eliza who hailed from Nagaland and continued to live in Nagaland and was running an electronic shop.




Family of Firoz Khan: Mother Riyajun Begum with Azad Khan with a relative (in the middle) at their residence in Manipur.

Firoz’s elder brother Azad Khan who is also a resident of Dimapur, Nagaland left home and joined the family prayer meetings in their village at Khurai Khomodook Ipum Mapal village in Imphal East district. Azad said, ‘on March 7 we came to know about the fire and death of the family. That night (March 6) around 9-30 pm, Firoz talked over phone with the family in Manipur and informed about his plan for a visit to Bangalore and he was normal like other days. After talking to the family, Firoz went to a neighbour’s house and had pan their and chatted with them for about half an hour. Then Firoz came back to his home around 10:30 pm. Fire took place around 12 and it burnt everything very fast. The house of Firoz was made of bamboo and wood with tin sheets as roof.’

Neighbours of Firoz Khan mentioned to Azad that there is suspicion of homicide to the police and family members of the victims as the Eliza along with the two daughters were found charred to death on their beds while Firoz’s body was found lying near by the door inside their house which has resulted in the suspicion of the involvement of miscreant who could have locked the doors from outside before burning down the house on the fateful night.

Azad Khan suspects foul play. On March 25, 2011, Firoz’s mother Riyajun Begum filed an FIR in Dimapur police station asking for investigation into the whole incident that burnt alive the four members of the family. What is missing is that Nagaland police failed to conduct post- mortem of the dead bodies and before conducting the post mortem, dead bodies were sent to Manipur via Manipur police to the family for the last rites. Azad informed that Manipur police asked them to carry out the cremation at the earliest. Azad demands justice and proper investigation into the incident.




Four dead bodies recovered from the house.

The incident rocked the assembly of Manipur on March 17, 2011 and it was revealed in the media that the state government has officially intimated its Nagaland counterpart to furnish its investigation report in connection to the incident leading to the death on the intervening night of March 6 and 7 of four members of a Muslim family who originally belonged to Manipur.

This was mentioned by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who informed the house that the family have been residing there for the last 20 years by running an electronic shop, besides the actual occurrence of the fire incident on the intervening night of March 6 and 7 last is yet to be ascertain by the Nagaland Police and the state government has been from time to time enquiring over the finding reports of the investigations into the incident, the Chief Minister added. Chief minister assured that if the finding of the police finds involvement of any extremists actions in connection with the death of the said four members of the family, the state government in coordination with its Nagaland counterpart will provide necessary assistances to the bereaved family as per the existing schemes of the state and further added that the state is also closely monitoring the investigation conducted by the Nagaland police.

SUPPORT TWOCIRCLES HELP SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND NON-PROFIT MEDIA. DONATE HERE