Imphal, January 22 2009: Inspite of the public outcry against the atrocities of the security forces in the name of counter insurgency operations, many villagers, specially the youth and young men in parts of Thoubal and Chandel districts have not been able to venture out of their houses or go to work fearing constant harassments from the police commandos posted at Waikhong and Sugnu.

According to report, security forces have been harassing the villagers, more particularly the youth and young married men, living in areas under the jurisdiction of Sugnu and Waikhong Police Station namely Mahou Tera, Leingangching, Nungangching, Tonsen villages in Chandel district and Umathel, Kakching Khunou, Wangjing Khunou, Pangaltabi and Thongam villages, etc in Thoubal district.

The security forces have also been killing many innocent people in these areas and latter dubbing them as underground activists who were killed in encounters along with recovery of arms and ammunition from their possession.

As a result, to protect themselves from such staged managed killings, torture and harassment by the security forces, young men right from school attending youths to young married men have not been able to venture out of their houses or go to attend school or work place, thus leaving the womenfolk with the sole responsibility of going to the hills for fetching firewoods and trading activities to earn the family income.

Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, secretary of Umathel Meira Paibi Lup M Ibechaobi Leima informed that the women-folk of Umathel, Kakching Khunou, Wangjing Khunou and Pangaltabi have been experiencing tough time these days while ensuring that their sons or men do not fall into the hands of the security personnel.

''If the security forces have to continue with their atrocities and harassments, threatening to kill the youth at gun-point, it would be better for them (security forces) to come and arrest or kill all of us'', Ibechaobi said.

It may be mentioned here that the State Government has deployed commandos around one month back with the main objective of protecting the people of Sugnu and Waikhong area.

Recounting some of the incidents of atrocities carried out by the commandos posted in Sugnu and Waikhong over the last couple of days at Umathel alone, Ibechaobi told mediapersons that the commandos picked up 16-year old Oinam Birkumar, a student of class XI Science in Kakching Khunou College while he was returning home and charging him to be a member of the proscribed KYKL and threatened him to be killed if did not disclose the name of UGs in Umathel area.

The youth was, however, rescued from the clutches of the commandos by the womenfolk.

Moreover, one 18-year old Moirangthem Anand had been tortured brutally after being picked up by the commandos.

Representative of Wangjing Khunou Meira Paibis S Indibala said that the commandos have been driving their vehicles in full speed on the roads and bylanes of the area and did not even look back even if they had overran cows and dogs.

They have also been harassing young students to lead them to the hideouts of the UGs, even if the students do not have any idea.

Attending the press conference, Rosemi, newly widowed wife of K Thoiba of Mahou Tera Village in Chandel district, who was found shot dead at Kakching Keirak Achouba on January 20 after having picked up by the commandos in the afternoon of the previous day, said ''My husband had been living the life of a cripple person for the last 5 years and he had been picked up by the commandos from the house.

So the claim of the police that he was killed in an encounter is complete hogwash''.

''At the time of taking him away, my husband had worn a pair of sandals, but his bullet ridden body was found with eyes removed and legs broken, he was wearing shoes and socks.

Such conduct of the commandos is despicable'', she added.

Another Meira Paibi leader quipped in to point out that such conduct of the commandos may encourage the innocent youths to take up arms and become underground activists and if the killings of surrendered militants who have joined the mainstream and settled in life is not stopped, then all the underground activists who have already surrendered may be forced to go underground again.

Meira Paibi leaders have also demanded removal of the commandos from Sugnu and Waikhong within the current month and have warned of launching various agitations if the demand is not fulfilled.