Security forces culpable, say senior citizens
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 22 2012: Police and Assam Rifles personnel who were on duty at the venue of the musical concert when a film actress was molested and another two artistes fired at are more guilty than NSCN-IM's Lt Col Livingstone, the perpetrator of the crime, asserted the Senior Citizens for Society, Manipur.

Speaking to some reporters this afternoon, secretary of the Society, Advocate Khaidem Mani remarked that it was not only cowardly but also shameful on the part of those security personnel who remained mute spectators when Livingstone committed the criminal act.

As per IPC Section 119 and Section 221, those security personnel deserve the same punishment which may be awarded to Livingstone.

Those security personnel can be prosecuted, Mani said.

Citing FIR No 14(2) 2012 Cdl P/S U/S 307, 400, 426, 511 IPC & 25 (1-C)A Act registered in Chandel police station in connection with the incident, Mani pointed out that the FIR does not involje IPC Section 354 which deals with molestation and also other acts of terrorism.

Condemning Livingstone's abominable and bestial crime in the strongest term, Mani demanded that Livingstone should be booked at the earliest.

However, it would not be wrong to blame NSCN-IM as a whole or any particular community because of what Livingstone did.

The criminal act should be seen and treated as committed by a single individual.

No community should try to add any communal tinge to the issue, he advised.

He, on behalf of the Senior Citizens Society, appealed to relax the ongoing protest movement for a week in view of Christmas festival.

He also expressed his desire to hand over the case to an independent like the CBI if the State Police is not in a position to investigate it.

It is everybody's knowledge how NSCN-IM killed SDO Kishan, Token, Rajen, how they orchestrated disappearance of contractor Irabanta as well as harassment of drivers/transporters and rampant extortion on highways, he added.

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