Custodial death of Manjur continues to draw condemnations
Weaker sections at the receiving end : DAMMS
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 01 2019:
Strongly condemning the death of Md Manjur Ahamad in police custody, Delhi Association of Manipur Muslim Students (DAMMS) has asserted that the extrajudicial killing after an extremely inhumane torture without having any established proof, is wholly against the right to life and natural justice.
A press release issued by the president of DAMMS today mentioned that Manjur of Yairipok Ningthounai joined Manipur police as a Constable in 2009 and he was also awarded appreciation letter by the then SP Kabib K in recognition to his dedication to hard-work and sincerity in the Police Department.
DAMMS continued that Manjur was suspended on March 12 on the alleged charge of finding his contact number in Nando's mobile phone and alleged that the association suspect that Manjur's number must have been added to Nando's mobile by his fellow members of the Police Department.
On March 27, after Nando's escape, Manjur was arrested, DAMMS explained adding that so far, not a single official notice from the Police Department regarding Manjur's association with Nando's escape has been issued and questioned the reason behind the custodial death of Manjur.
The association continued that this tragic incident brings to light the excessive brutality and inhumane discrimination meted out by the police against the weaker section, specially the Pangal community.
Manjur's case is no exception to the series of custodian killings by the State forces, DAMMS alleged adding that the incident has come amidst the fake encounter cases of more than 1500 individuals by the security forces before the Supreme Court.
DAMMS reminded that recently, there was a custodial death case of one Abdul Gaffar by Assam Rifles and added that so far, no justice has been delivered in all the cases.
Pointing out that the community is at the receiving end in different cases for long, DAMMS stated that this marginalized community has been tagged with different prejudicial and biased images through stereotyping which lead to the manufacturing of hatred against the community.
The association conveyed that it stands in solidarity with JAC against the custodial killing of Md Manjur Ahamad and urged all the sections of the community to show their solidarity in demanding justice for such crime against humanity.
Stating that there have been many such similar incidents and in most of the cases, the perpetrators belonging to powerful class have been left unpunished, DAMMS stated that the victims are only from those weaker sections of the society.
Those who are involved in this case should not be left free and they should be punished, it added, calling for a united stand against such heinous crimes.
On the other hand, National Identity Protection Council (NIPCO) has also strongly condemned the custodial death of Md Manjur Ahamad and has demanded an immediate and fair investigation into the matter to punish the culprits involved.
A press release issued by the secretary general of NIPCO mentioned that such custodial death of a police Constable at the hands of his own colleagues, has created a sense of fear and apprehension among the common people and demanded the authority concerned to investigate the death of Manjur Ahamad and award befitting punishment to all the involved police personnel at the earliest.