Imphal, August 26: At least 20 volunteers of All Manipur Anti-Drug Association (AMADA) reportedly sustained injuries, six of them seriously, when police lathi-charged them while they were coming to court arrest in front of the Chief Minister�s bungalow and Raj Bhawan demanding unconditional release of the four AMADA activists who have been arrested and detained by Imphal East District Police. A large number of protestors carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans demanding immediate and unconditional release of the arrested AMADA activists and otherwise to arrest them charged toward the Chief Minister�s bungalow at around 3 pm today. Alerted police personnel who were on duty near the gate of Chief Minister�s bungalow tried to stop the protestors from proceeding further.

As the situation was getting out of control, a reinforcement of police was called in to lathi-charge and disperse the protestors.

Undeterred by the police action, some of the protestors continued to shout slogans like �Release four AMADA members without any condition immediately�, �Save AMADA�, �Arrest us� near the gate of the Chief Minister�s bungalow.

The protestors who were pushed back till Nupi Lan complex later joined another group of protestors coming to court arrest in front of the gate of Raj Bhavan and intensified the slogan shouting all the more.

Police acted swiftly and they not only lathi-charged the protestors but also snatched the banners and placards.

Women cops were also pressed into service to chase away agitated women protestors.

In the ensuing melee, a woman protestor and a woman police officer slipped and fell inside the roadside drain.

Movement of vehicles along the road remained affected while the confrontation between the protestors and the police was going on.

Condemning the police action, AMADA has claimed that at least 20 volunteers sustained injuries, six of them seriously in the lathi-charge.

According to a statement issued by secretary of publicity and propaganda of AMADA Ph Abe Chanu, six volunteers who sustained serious injuries and have been admitted to RIMS Hospital are identified as S Sonamani (volunteer of Bishnupur District Council), A Singarei (assistant secretary general of Bishnupur District Council), RK Tombisana Leima ( secretary general of Bishnupur District Council) A Kumar (volunteer of Nambol AMADA Local Council), K Ranjana (volunteer of Lamlai Local Council) and Takhellambam Tembi Leima (deputy secretary of drive committee, AMADA head office).

Abe said the police action on the AMADA volunteers who were demanding release of four arrested colleagues has shown that the Government is not going to listen to any democratic means, and therefore AMADA is prepared to launch undemocratic and violent agitations.

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