Leikinthabi gives their side of story
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 18 2018:
Shantipur Sporting Club of Awang Leikinthabi Shantipur has clarified about the incident regarding the alleged assault of Sekmai Protection Committee general secretary by security escort of Lamsang MLA yesterday morning, apart from appealing all to maintain peace in the area.
Speaking to media persons at Shantipur today, the club's general secretary Herochandra Yumnam said that the locals approached the local MLA for construction of a community hall as the area does not have a proper venue for organising functions or events.
As such, the local MLA, S Rajen tried to construct a community hall for the locality from his Local Area Development fund but some land dispute came up.
The construction of the community hall affected some land on Sekmai side and as such, Sekmai Protection Committee and the local MLA himself inspected the affected area yesterday, he said and added that during the inspection, the Sekmai Protection Committee urged to leave out road which lead to the adjoining hills.
However, the MLA argued that construction of the community hall would not affect the road in any way, he added.
Herochandra continued that the committee members again argued that the community hall cannot be constructed without permission from the people of Sekmai to which the MLA responded that even if the locals of Sekmai had the land documents, the land still is Government's khas land.
Nonetheless, the MLA appealed to the local people to allow construction of the community hall.
The club general secretary further claimed that due to the stubbornness of the committee members, the local MLA decided that the matter would be settled as per the Government rules/regulation and added that at that moment, Sekmai Protection Committee general secretary Laimayum Dhana challenged the MLA's action which led to a heated argument.
Herochandra continued that the general secretary of Sekmai Protection Committee however continued to intentionally target the local MLA due to which the security escort tried to thrash the arrogant individual but the villagers managed to control the situation.
He might have sustained some minor injuries during the confusion but there was no intentional assault against him in any way, Herochandra clarified.
He then alleged that the act of the locals of Sekmai like blocking the National Highway, searching for Meira Paibi members in Leikinthabi Shantipur etc are akin to goondaism and appealed to all concerned not to resort to such acts in the future but to leave in peace and harmony with one another.