Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 22 2010:
Thoubal district police commandos were not satisfied when three of their colleagues were placed under suspension on the alleged charged of meting excessively to a crowd storming district police headquarters in protest against nabbing of a youth from Sangaiyumpham.
Three police commandos were placed under suspension while two other IRB personnel were send back to their headquarters for disciplinary action yesterday on the alleged charged of over excessive use of force while dispersing a crowd on the Tuesday night at Thoubal district police headquarters.
Mention may be made that over 24 people were injured when police used batons, fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a protest by villagers demanding release of a villager picked up by security force on Tuesday night.
Two days later, yesterday, five personnel, OC in charge N Tikendra of Thoubal district commando unit, SI Lalminthang Mangte, ASI L Dhanabir and another two personnel currently attached to the Thoubal commando Havildar Ch Mossenger and Havildar H Manihar of 1st IRB, were placed under suspension by an order issued yesterday.
Decrying the move of the higher authority, commando personnel of the district attached with different police stations held at a meeting at Thoubal District CDO complex and discussed for arm down strike to register strong protest against higher authorities move.
Justifying their stance over the matter, commando personnel of the district said that they had done only to control the crowd as they stormed the headquarters despite repeated warning.
They had not fired intentionally.
They recalled that on that very night, the crowd started attacking to the police and AR vehicles.
Even though people were overacted, they tried their best to convince them that the youth in question is yet to hand over to the police.
They were compelled to fire tear gas, rubber bullets and used baton charge against the crowd as they turned violent, they said justifying their action of that very night.
Mention may be made that an irate mob had marched towards Thoubal district police headquarter on the night of October 19 to know the whereabouts of one Zamir Khan of Sangaiyumpham Part II village who had been picked up by troops of Assam Rifles from his home.
The troops charged him as cadre of NEMF, a Muslim based underground outfit while villagers strongly denied it.
A Joint Action Committee (JAC) has been formed by the villager and pressing to the government for taking up appropriate action against the police personnel who fired at the crowd alleging that they had meted out excessive to the villagers.