The Imphal bench of Guwahati High Court has ordered Assam Rifles to pay Rs 3 lakh as compensation for killing a youth in a fake encounter after arresting him from his residence.

Official sources in Imphal said the verdict was pronounced on Monday after the final hearing of the case by a division bench of the high court comprising Justices T Nandakumar Singh and B D Agarwal.

According to the charges, the AR personnel killed one Thangjam Binoy Singh of Lamding Khumanthem Leikai in Thoubal district late at night on March 7, 2004.

A team of 28 AR personnel came to the residence of Thangjam Ibempishak Devi on March 7, 2004, pulled out Th Binoy Singh from his house, searched his room thoroughly and ransacked it.

Thereafter, the youth was apprehended without any arrest warrant.

On hearing the commotion, the local villagers immediately proceeded to Thoubal police station and also went to Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's residence at Imphal.

Meanwhile, the 28 AR personnel killed the youth in a fake encounter at Thoubal Charangpat road near Kshetri Leikai crossing.

Later, Guwahati High Court directed the Additional District Judge, Manipur West, to conduct an inquiry and accordingly, the judge submitted her report to the high court on July 1, 2007.

Subsequently, Guwahati High Court directed the respondents, the AR and the Centre, to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh within five months.

The present writ petition was filed at the initiative of Human Rights Law Network (Manipur) and Advocate Meihoubam Rakesh appeared on behalf of the petitioner.