Imphal, Jul 27: Womenfolk of Kangvai and surrounding villages today demonstrated in protest against the alleged excesses of Assam Rifles on two local persons.

A team of Human Rights Alert who visited the area under Moirang police station yesterday charged the troops of 7 AR for third degree torture against two innocent cultivators.

Programme executive of HRA Wahengbam Joykumar who led the team to the village conveyed that troops of 17 AR posted at Sendra and Moirang Lamkhai picked up Huirem Bhakta (52) and Namoijam Chaothoi (28) s/o N Bibishon on July 17 from their homes at Kangvai Chongtham Leikai after breaking down the doors of their houses.

Even though arrest memo was issued at the time of the arrest, the vital details such as the name of the AR unit, ranks of the officers involved etc were not given in the arrest memo, stated Joykumar.

Showing the copies of the memo, he mentioned that even Chaothoi's minor sister was also forced to signed on the memo.

After subjecting them to severe physical and mental torture throughout the night at their Sendra post, the duo was handed over to Moirang police station on the next day with the accusation that they were collaborators of PREPAK, disclosed Joykumar.

On the other side, the villagers rejected the allegation of AR saying that both the victims were innocent civilians.

They have nothing to do with any of the unlawful organisations, they asserted.

Acting on the report of the AR, Moirang PS has registered FIRs against Bhakta and Chaothoi.

Even as Bhakta was released on bail by CJM Bishnupur on July 25, Chaothoi has been remanded to judicial custody.

Enraged at the inhuman conduct of AR, Meira Paibis of Phoubakchao, Ikhai, Kangvai and Torbung staged a sit-in-protest at Kangvai Bazar today.

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