Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 28:
Two women have been admitted to RIMS and Thoubal district hospitals with varying degree of bullet injuries they reportedly suffered in police firing at Yairipok area this afternoon.
According to reports, Thoubal police commandos resorted to firing when a mob led by women folk of Yairipok Phoudel tried to prevent security personnel from arresting two youths.
Information received from police source suggest that apart from snatching the arrested youths an unruly mob tried to set ablaze the police vehicle that consequently led to rushing of additional commando reinforcement who unleashed rubber bullets and bursts tear gas canisters to disperse the agitated gathering.
Likely cause of the injuries might be from rubber bullets, the source maintained.
The injured women in the incident that took place about four kilometre north of Yairipok police station at around 3.30 pm have been identified as Aisha Bibi (40) and Shouda Bibi (55) both from Yairipok Phoudel Mayai Leikai.
Of the two, Aisha Bibi sustained injuries on her right forearm and abdomen, and is recuperating at RIMS Hospital where she under-went an emergency operation.
With bullet scratch wound on her left shoulder shouda Bibi was treated at Thoubal district hospital.
As per accounts of Aisha Bibi's family members a team of Thoubal police commando in civies arrived in a bullet proof Gypsy at Wangkhem ground soon after a football match was over.
As the commandos singled out two youths identified as Md Ali Akbar (25) and Md Zakir (30) from among a number of people who were mopping up the ground of chairs and other litters, and were being escorted towards the parked Gypsy without citing reason for the arrest people present there as well as some women folk intervened on ground that both ali and Akbar were innocent.
Both the youths from Phoudel Mamang Leikai are said to be married.
While section of crowd mobbed the commandos and others tried to burn the vehicle the situation was conveyed to local MLA K Meghachandra thereby resulting in the agitated mob exercising restraint.
Even as the tussle was on commando reinforcement arrived in some vehicles and allegedly opened indiscriminate firing leading to the injuries, they maintained.
Contrary to the narration, the police source insisted that both Ali and Akbar are PULF activists and to dissuade the mob from taking the matter into their own hands they had to be tear-gassed besides firing rubber bullets.




