Irilbung protests police action
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 23 2011: At least one person reportedly sustained injuries in alleged police firing to control an agitated mob protesting against suppression of a case related to abduction and 'rape' of a 14-year old girl at Irilbung today.

The victim identified as Laishram Ratankumar (35) of Urup Laishram Leikai was sleeping in his own house, when a ricocheting bullet hit his back.

He has been admitted to JNIMS.

However, there is still uncertainty over whether the bullet that hit Ratankumar had been actually fired by the police or not.

Decrying the conduct of the police in handling the case, a large number of protestors came out since early morning today and erected road block along Irilbung-Keirao IVR.

At around 9 am, a police team from Irilbung PS came to clear the road.

As the police started removing the barricade, the agitated mob pelted stones and attacked them with sling shots compelling the police to open fire.

Afterward, the mob stormed at the Irilbung PS.

While a confrontation was ensued between the agitators and the police, some miscreants went on a rampage destroying every vehicles passing that way, thus forcing the police to open fire once again.

One of the deviated bullet hit, Laishram Ratankumar (35) of Urup Laishram Leikai, who was reportedly sleeping in his own house.

He has been admitted to JNIMS.

An elderly person, who came travelling in an autorickshaw also sustained injuries on his head in the stone attack of the mob.

He too has been admitted to JNIMS for treatment.

It may be noted here that a 15-year old girl, a resident of Keirao Makting Mayai Leikai was reportedly abducted by some unidentified persons from her house on the night of July 15 and was left after brutal torture the following day near her house.

The family members of the girl, however, claimed that she was raped.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons, Additional SO of Imphal East district L Birababu has informed that the case is being investigated and four suspects have been arrested.

Samples of human fluids collected from the victim and the accused (vaginal swap and semen respectively) have also been send to Forensic Science Laboratory at Pangei for testing.

The test report is awaited.

Birababu further informed that the statements of the victim, accused as well as some other people have also been recorded.

However, there is certain complication in the case which need to be solved.

The victim first send the sms informing about her abduction to one of her elder sister, then to her father and finally to her boyfriend, who is the accused now.

Moreover, in her statement, the victim claimed that her mobile phone had been snatched by the abductors immediately after abduction.

So, how the sms could have been send and how the mobile phone of the victim was recovered from the house of a Moulavi need to be ascertained, the police officer added.

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