PRO rejects report, clarifies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 16 2012:
The PRO IGAR (S) has dismissed the news report (Feb 16) about assault of villagers by troops of Assam Rifles at a Chandel district area as baseless and incorrect.
Reacting to the report, the PRO in a statement issued today explained that following the murder of a civil contractor namely Mangat Ram at Sehlon on February 14, a police investigating team reached the spot at 12.30 pm.
As the police team tried to move the suspects along with the eyewitness, after the investigation, they were assaulted with the local women folk surrounding the police personnel, pelted stones and used batons to stop the suspects and eye witness being moved away, the PRO statement maintained adding that on request of the police team troops of Assam Rifles advised the locals through the police representatives that justice would prevail and the locals should not intervene in the legal process.
In saving the police team from more assault, the AR troops exercised restraints and did not retaliate contrary to the newspaper reports, it asserted.
As guardians of the Manipur people, the help and support will still remain with the locals, the PRO affirmed in the statement and conveyed that normalcy has prevailed in the area.