Imphal, March 20: The Senior Citizens for Society has described the arrest of Naobi Chanu of Yairipok Leirongthel on February 21 by Thoubal Police Commandos on certain charges without the help of women police personnel and without issuing any arrest memo as an act of flagrant violation of the directives of the Supreme Court of India.

In a statement, general secretary of the Society said that the alleged torture and sexual molestation of the girl buy the police commandos while she was in their custody, if it is proved true, is a serious crime against humanity in general and womenfolk in particular.

The culprit should be given stringent and exemplary punishment to deter recurrence of such inhuman acts in future.

The statement further said that the allegation of mass rape of women including minors on January 16 and March 5 at Thanlon and Tipaimukh sub-divisions of Churachandpur district by the cadres of an underground outfit is yet another shocking news.

If the allegation are proved true, it is a very serious crime against humanity and a blot on the fair name of Manipur and the culprits deserve strictest punishment to deter recurrence of such beastly crime in future, the statement said.

However, the statement further added, if the allegation have been made by some unscrupulous elements to divide the people and serve their narrow vested interests, it is equally detrimental to the unity and solidarity of the people of Manipur.

The need of the hour at this critical juncture is to conduct an impartial and objective inquiry into the allegation at the highest level to dig out the truth of the matter, the Society pointed out, while fervently appealed to all sections of the people not to be carried away by emotion and sentiment, but to exercise maximum restraint and tolerance and show their time tested maturity in maintaining the age old tradition of communal harmony and peace in the State.

The displacement of about 100 fellow Hmar brothers and sisters of Churachandpur district from their hearth and homes in the wake of recent armed conflicts between the security forces and the UG outfits in the area and are now taking shelter in Mizoram is yet another tragic story of this trouble torn State, the Society's statement said.

The senior citizens also appealed to the Government to do all that is nece ssary to bring back all the displaced persons to Manipur and rehabilitate them providing necessary ex-gratia and compensation facilities.

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