Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 13 2008:
AFTER AN attack by unknown insurgents against Assam Rifles near Kakching Khunou College gate in which a personnel of AR was killed and some others were injured, the AR troops have been looking at all the villagers of Umathel area as underground insurgents, the villagers of the area complained to media persons today.
The villagers alleged that the AR troops arrest youths of the area at random calling them UGs.
Instead of torturing the simple and innocent village folks, kill us all, the villagers shouted at the AR troops.
A large number of villagers, mostly women, including school children went on a protest demonstration shouting slogans against the AR around 2 pm today.
Secretary of Umathel Meira Paibi Association (UMPA) Mayanglambam Ibecha Leima told reporters that troops of 21 AR of Pangaltabi post came to Umathel Makha Leikai around 12.30 pm yesterday and arrested a youth from the road who was coming on a cycle.
The youth has been identified as Khumukcham Bimolchand Meetei (25), son of Kh Shyam.
The youth gives private tuition to students in four batches a day and earns money to look after his family of one sister and two brothers including himself and his parents.
Yesterday he went to discuss matters of private tuition to be given to the children of teachers of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and staffs.
But he was arrested by the troops of 21 AR from the way and was handed over to Kakching police station alleging him to be a KYKL cadre.
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The Meira Paibi leader further said that villagers Umathel got together and traced the whereabouts of Bimolchand yesterday itself.
When the villagers learnt that he had been handed over to Kakching police, they went there too.
But police had already filed cases against him.
Today's sit-in-protest was held against the arrest of innocent Bimolchand, she said.
The protesting villagers were demanding that Bimolchand should be released any condition.
The villagers said, at this time when one kg of rice cost Rs 21/22, the residents of Umathel are scared to go out of the house to work in the fields, farms and elsewhere.
On December 7, the AR troops arrested another innocent youth and later branded him as an acitivist of UNLF.
Such acts of the AR have created a fear psychosis in the minds of the people of the area, they complained.
Meanwhile, PRO of IGAR (South) in a press release stated that troops of 21 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector under HQ IGAR (South) apprehended one KYKL cadre identified as SS Pvt Kh Bimal Chand Meitei (25), son of Kh Shyam Meitei, of Umathel Makha Leikai yesterday during an operation launched at Luwangching area.
One bycycle has been recovered from him.
The arrested youth has been handed over to Kakching Police Station yesterday itself along with the recovered items.