Manipur: Irate protestors agitate against arrest of six individuals in Imphal West, security force resort to tear gas

Tension broke out inside the Cheirap Court Complex in Imphal East today as many irate protestors agitated against the arrest of six individuals claiming that they were civilians.

Rapid Action Force (RAF) fired tear gas shells inside the court complex to control the protestors resulting in injuring protestors including one video journalist. 

Court officials and advocates condemned the act of firing tear gas shells on the campus and questioned the authorisation of such measures. 

Despite people from various sections demanding to release of six persons who were arrested on the alleged charges of recent arms and ammunition from 5th IRB Chingarel Tejpur without any condition, judicial remand has been given to them till March 5, 2024. 

Opposing the court’s order, women vendors unanimously resolved to launch a cease-work strike from tomorrow onwards until the arrested persons are released. 

Today, six individuals who were arrested in connection with alleged arm and ammunition looting from the 5th IRB located at Chingarel Tejpur on February 13 were produced at Cheirap Court. Condemning the charges given to them, protestors gathered near the court complex demanding to release them without any condition. But the court has given judicial remand till March 5, 2024, for a smooth investigation of the case. 

Also Read: Manipur: Churachandpur village chief slams Zomi student body for distorting historical facts

Asserting their status of arrested persons as civilians, they objected to the security personnel both rapid action force and state force to take them (arrested persons) away rather than release them. However, Rapid Action Force fired a round of tear gas shells inside the court complex to disperse the protestors and the arrested person was taken away. 

Addressing the media person, the vice president of the All Manipur Bar Association, Brahmacharimayum Supriya said that it is highly condemnable to detonate tear gas shells inside the court campus. Such an act is illegal and the lawyers’ fraternity wants to question the authorisation of such measures. 

“Court campus can’t do any such firing activity. We need to identify that person,” she stated. 

Strongly rebuking the state government, the convenor of the Joint Co-ordinating Committee of Khwairamband Ima Market, Laishram Mema said that arresting the six individuals on alleged charges of arms and ammunition is strongly condemnable. The committee cannot accept the act of state government to arrest them. They are civilians who came out courageously to save the state which government can’t do. 

“It is not the time for ministers and MLAs to act dumb when the state is burning. Please use your power efficiently to save Manipur instead of just listening to the order of the central government. Their inactiveness has compelled many youth to come out voluntarily for the protection of the state,” she urged demanding the political leaders to resign from their posts if they are unable to handle the ongoing crisis in Manipur.

Another member of the committee supplemented that the arrested persons were village defence volunteers. Had the Manipur government protected the state from illegal militants and wiped them and brought peace to the state, there wouldn’t be any village volunteers to defend the state. The inability of the government to defend the state from continuous attacks from Kuki militants has forced youth to become village volunteers. If the arrested persons are the children of ministers and MLAs, how will they feel, she questioned and termed.