Imphal, January 20: Infuriated villagers of Sagolmang area today sealed the entrance gate of 19 Assam Rifles to protest the arrest of two brothers by the para-military force.

According to sources the arrested brothers have been named as Loukram Romi (27) and Boicha (21) of Sagolmang Awang Leikai under Lamlai police station of Imphal East district.

Romi is informed to be married and a construction labourer by profession and currently involved in the BSNL work site at Sawombung while his bachelor younger brother is said to be a woodcutter.

PIB Defence Wing quoting Assam Rifles authority however said the two are PLA members.

According to Memthoibi - mother of the two brothers - someone knocked at their main door at around 4 am today identifying themselves as security personnel and on opening the door found the house surrounded by uniformed men.

On being summoned out of the house, Memthoibi along with her two sons and the daughter-in-law assembled at the courtyard with the AR personnel further instructing separate lining-up of male and female family members, the mother told media-persons.

Memthoibi was shoved aside when she insisted on accompanying the uniformed persons who demanded to search the house.

Moments after the AR men proceeded inside the house and entered Romi�s room the younger brother (Boicha) was called in and a weapon was shown by the AR men claiming that it was found inside his brother�s mattress.

Even as the AR men shoved Boicha into the courtyard he called out to his mother to inform about the recovery of the arms.

Surprised by the AR recovery, Romio raising his arms told the security personnel to shoot all the family members which was responded by one of uniformed personnel with a hard slap followed by an AR official from preventing further thrashing, the mother recalled.

The security personnel are even alleged to have turned the house-hold materials including clothes and utensils upside-down during the search.

Before taking into custody the two brothers the AR personnel issued arrest memo claiming recovery of a 9mm pistol with four rounds Soon after news of the arrest spread meira paibis of Pukhao, Phurju, Iranpham, Khewa, Sagolmang, Yumnam Patlou, Uyumpok, Wakhong and Ikou areas congregated and heading towards the Ar post located at Khewa surrounded the camp premises.

A verbal confrontation is said to have taken place between the women and the AR personnel with the latter insisting the arrested persons would be handed over to Lamlai police station but disputed by the agitated women who maintained both are innocent and is framed by the security force on flimsy ground.

As the spate lingered till around 5 pm with the meira paibis persisting on immediate release of the duo and re-sealing the AR gate, press sources added that the women even covered the lock when the AR tried to break it open with an axe.

While the verbal bout continued personnel of Imphal East district police station led by the Additional SP and SDPO arrived at the AR post in the afternoon and convincing the agitated women formally took custody of the arrested brothers.

Both are said to have been medically checked before detention at the police station.

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