Imphal, March 15, 2010: Coming out strongly against assaulting two advocates of Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench by some IRB personnel near the main gate of Manipur University here last night, High Court Bar Association has taken steps to initiate necessary legal action against the guilty IRB personnel.

The two advocates who were beaten up by IRB personnel have been identified as Ngangom Jotindra (37) s/o Merajao and Samerjit Hawaibam (37) s/o Kumar.

Jotindra is a native of Langpoklakpam under Nambol Police Station while Samerjit hails from Bashikhong under Kakwa Police Station.

They said, after returning from some works together Jotindra dropped Samerjit to his house at Bashikhong.

From there, Samerjit and one his local friends came along to see Jotindra off till the main gate of Manipur University.

On seeing the security personnel on duty near the main gate of Manipur allowing people to enter the main gate after checking documents, Samerjit suggested that Jotindra too should do the same as it would be safer and the distance to his place would be shorter.

However, the security personnel did not allow Jotindra to pass through.

As others before Jotindra have been allowed to enter the main gate after checking necessary documents, Jotindra and Samerjit produced relevant papers to prove that themselves as High Court advocates and requested for allowing Jotindra to gain entry.

But one of the security personnel on duty at the main gate talked over his set and called out IRB personnel from the campus who started assaulting them.

Even when the two advocates said that they were ready to say sorry if they have committed any mistake, they were not only dragged inside a Gypsy but also threatened to be shot while continuing to assault them with sticks and gun-butts.

After assaulting them in that manner for around 1 hours, the two advocates were taken to Kakwa Police Station where they were further detained for around 1 hour.

They were released at around 10.30 pm.

Jotindra and Samerjit today jointly lodged a complaint with the High Court Bar Association for taking up necessary measures to initiate legal action against the involved IRB personnel.

Following the joint complaint, an emergency meeting of the Association was convened after the working hours of the Court today to discuss the matter.

The meeting strongly condemned the incident of assaulting Jotindra and Samerjit, who are also members of the Association.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, vice president of the Association H Ishwarlal asserted that Jotindra and Samerjit have requested for entering the main gate of the University as there was no complete restriction on the entry.

Under section 23 of Indian Police Act, police can perform their duty at any place as they are responsible for maintaining law and order, the vice president said.

But the IRB personnel have to perform duty at some specific location and instructions.

So what the IRB personnel did last evening was out of duty range.

On this contention, higher authorities would be approached for initiating necessary legal action against the involved IRB personnel, the vice president explained.

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