Khurai erupts in protest, torch rally staged
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2009: With the damning sequence of pictures, released by Tehelka, detailing the frisking of Chongkham Sanjit, to the moment he was pushed inside a pharmacy by police commandos before his lifeless body was taken out, with the claim that he was killed in a shoot out, outraging the people of the State, residents of Khurai, the locality from which the late man hailed from, came out on the streets and protested against the 'alleged' custodial killing.

Protesting against the alleged killing of Sanjit in cold blood by police commandos on July 23, people of Khurai protest and stage a torch rally with police using water canons and firing mock bombs

A torch rally was also staged later in the evening to denounce the killing and to demand punishment of the personnel involved in the cold blooded killing.

With all the dailies published from Imphal, carrying the damning sequence of pictures, people of Khurai started streaming out on the road from morning today and blocked the Khurai Tinseed road, demanding action against the guilty police commandos.

Road blocks were put up to give vent to their anger and Lamlong Keithel remained closed for the day.

To control the situation, a strong team of Imphal East police personnel rushed to the area and used water cannons and fired mock bombs to disperse the protestors.

The protestors, including men and women, retaliated by pelting stones and other objects at the police personnel.

There is however no report of any casualty on the part of the protestors.

Raising slogans demanding punishment of the police commandos and alleging that Sanjit was killed in cold blood, the protestors marched up to Lamlong bazar.

Additional police force led by the SP of Imphal East, Th Radheshyam rushed to the site to control the situation.

To protest the alleged custodial killing of Sanjit, members of the Thongju Students Welfare Committee and Meira Paibis torched the effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi, DGP Y Joykumar and police commandos, today evening.

On the other hand sit-in-protests were held today to condemn the killing of Th Rabina at Singda bazar, Kangchup bazar, Phayeng, Heibong Makhong and Lairenkabi.

Rabina was killed in the BT Road incident on July 23 .

Meanwhile a large number of people came out on the street and took out a torch rally in the evening today at Khurai area.

The rallyists tried to march upto Lamlong bazar, but were dispersed by police, who fired tear gas shells.

The protestors retaliated with catapults and pelted stones, but were ultimately driven back.

A number of civil society organisations have also come out strongly against the alleged custodial killing of Sanjit and demanded a Judicial inquiry.

Warning that they would launch a series of agitation, the organisations also demanded the resignation of Chief Minister O Ibobi, for misleading the members of the Assembly as well as the people of the State.