Unidentified personnel assault villagers, vehicle mysteriously torched
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 06 2017: A group of individuals donning Army costumes allegedly thrashed another group of people and torched their vehicles beyond recognition today at Moirang Purel, Imphal East under Lamlai police station.

A sit in protest was later staged at Tumukhong Ema Panthoibi bazar by the local meira paibis condemning the act where the protesters carried placards which appealed to the party concerned to clarify and refrain from such acts in the future, to refrain from creating fear and panic among the locals etc.

Speaking to media persons, Tumukhong Women Welfare Association secretary Chingakham Ibemhal said, "Yesterday evening, the meira paibis were keeping vigil as usual in a drive against intoxicating substances.

As they were checking a vehicle, the womenfolk of Moirang Purel called and asked them to stop a vehicle claiming that its passengers had thrashed some of the volunteers.

"The vehicle finally stopped after it was blocked from all routes by the womenfolk of the area and an armed individual climbed down and began telling the womenfolks to go away in Hindi", she said.

More armed personnel joined in and began shouting at the women to go away and even shoved them, she said adding that the armed individuals even threatened the people with their weapons.

Ibemhal said that many men of the locality came out due to the commotion and the armed personnel finally boarded their vehicle, turned around and drove away towards Moirang Purel.

When the meira paibis informed the people of Moirang Purel to block the vehicle, they were told that it had stopped at Tishipokpi and put out its lights and engine.

Finally, some BSF personnel came and after hearing the story, went in to check the vehicle.

Ibemhal pointed out that the BSF personnel could not find any signs of the occupants and instead found some sickles and machetes inside the vehicle adding that the people decided to spend the night near the riverbank as they feared that the unidentified individuals would try to attack their homes.

"At around 3 am, the people heard a loud noise and saw a bright light coming from the direction of the abandoned vehicle", she said.

The people finally found that the vehicle had been torched beyond recognition.

Asking how long the people of the village should stay in fear of unidentified armed individuals under the garb of army uniform, she appealed to all the concerned to investigate the matter at the earliest and to provide protection for the villagers.

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