Locals thrash club members during drive against drug abuse
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 30 2018: The Lamding Educated Welfare Association and United Progressive Club Wangjing under Thoubal district have condemned the alleged assault of its members by the locals of Samaram village while they were conducting a drive against drug and have appealed the locals not to repeat such action in the future again.

Speaking to a team of media persons at Manipur Press Club today, Lamding Educated Welfare Association president Sorokhaibam Ojit said that a drive against substance abuse was carried out at Sangaiyumpham on May 27 when a person driving a bicycle, showing similar behaviour/signs of a drug user, was asked to stop by the members of both the clubs but the individual ran away from them.

Later, the person was caught from Samaram village (under Khongjom police station), the president said while adding that the person started shouting "murder", "murder", and while the members tried to question him, the people of the locality came out in the street.

Although the members of the clubs repeatedly explained that they were only conducting a drive against substance abuse, the locals picked up sticks and stones, surrounded the members and allegedly started thrashing them, he claimed.

A four wheeler vehicle belonging to the club members was also allegedly destroyed by the locals, the president asserted.

Such assault and destruction are strongly condemned by the members, he reiterated.

The Lamding Educated Welfare Association president further stated that, the member of both the clubs were injured on the head and on other parts of the body while one member who sustained severe injury was taken to Khongjom Health Centre by Khongjom police.

P Suraj Meitei, M Dinesh Singh, Th Robinson Singh of Wangjing, H Rajen Singh and Kh Manoj Singh of Lamding Khumanthem Leikai were the members who were injured in the unfaithful incident.

Meanwhile, some families of the village hid few members in their houses in order to protect them from the mob, he asserted.

The president, while pointing out that the locals should extend cooperation to those who are carrying out such drives to halt drug abuse in the State rather than being aggressive, appealed to the locals and all not to repeat such acts in the near future.

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