'March to House' bid foiled, 19 held
Source: The sangai Express

Imphal, July 27 2009: Nineteen women activists involved in staging a protest demons tration, while the Assembly was in session today, against the death of a young pregnant woman in a firing incident at BT Road on July 23 have been taken into police custody.

Meanwhile, Meira Paibi leaders have threatened to launch more intense forms of agitation in case the appre hended women activists are not released without any con dition at the earliest.

Women activists trying to proceed the Assembly

As the Assembly session was going on amid fight se curity arrangements, marked by heavy deployment of se curity forces and installation of barricades in and around the Assembly complex, around 25 Meira Paibi activists, coming from the market shed near the State Assembly complex, staged a protest demonstration at the spot where Rabina was shot dead on July 23.From there, the protesters proceeded towards the Assembly complex shouting different slogans like "punish commandos involved in killing civilian", "we condemn firing in crowded places", "institute Judicial Enquiry into the killing of Rabina" etc.

As they reached the road connecting BT Road to Assembly Road, they were blocked by police and 19 of them were taken into the custody of City police.

However, the protest demonstration did not cause any disturbance to the proceedings of the House.

As pre-emptive measures, all corridors connecting the market shed with the Assembly complex were barricaded with bamboo poles.

Moreover, many police personnel were seen maintaining a strict vigil over any act of mobilising people, particularly Meira Paibis.

Meanwhile.

Meira Paibi leaders decrying the detention of their colleagues, said that necessary preparations have been made to launch more intense forms of agitation on, in case the arrested women activists are not released at the earliest without any condition.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club this afternoon, Meira Paibi leaded Longjam Memchoubi demanded immediate release of the women activists who were protesting against indiscriminate firing in the busy Khwairamband Market.

Five other people also sustained bullet injuries in the July 23 firing incident at BT Road.

Only a thorough investigation into the incident can ascertain whether the bullets, which killed Rabina and injured five others, were fired by commandos or the suspected militant.

But the Government is refusing to conduct a proper investigation, Memchoubi lamented.

The Government should accept that it is inviting more vigorous forms of agitation if it is refusing to release the arrested Meira Paibi activists, said Phanjoubam Sakhi, another Meira Paibi leader.