Versions differ on Maram Bazar firing incident
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 30 2022: In connection with the gun fight at Maram Bazar on Friday that caused serious injuries to several people including police personnel, Maram Bazar VA secretary K Daniel claimed that K Hepuni, who is son of an MLA, along with Robinson, Athili and their friends who came heavily drunk, after partying at Naojai, started fighting among themselves around 7:30 pm.

When local youth of Maram Bazar tried to stop their fight and requested them to properly park their vehicles, K Hepuni and his friends who were over 30 in number brutally assaulted three local youths.

When Maram Bazar VA secretary tried to intervene, Hepuni further challenged him and hurled abusive language, the village authority said.

Maram VA also mentioned that the sudden appearance of escort personnel of the said MLA at the spot even though police personnel of Maram police station were already there to man the situation, aggravated the situation.

Later, the police and some local leaders of Maram Bazar and Makhan tried to defuse the tense situation by asking Hepuni and his friends and Maram Bazar youth to disperse.

However, some people from Golai/Makhan side started pelting stones which inflicted injuries to eight Maram people including Maram police station second OC Peter Rona.

Undermining the efforts to contain the situation, a Gypsy vehicle fitted with siren of the MLA driven by one Robinson recklessly drove into the crowd.

Further, escalating the tense situation, K Hepuni and his friends supported by escort personnel of the MLA resorted to firing from service weapons carried by the escort personnel and SBBL guns carried by them which caused fire arms injuries to seven Maram denizens out which three are battling for life in an Imphal Hospital, it said.

Maram Bazar VA further conveyed that even after the arrival of police reinforcement led by SP Senapati Karthik Malladi at the spot around 11:45 pm, gun firing by K Hepuni and his supporters continued.

This prompted the police to resort to firing tear gas towards Golai/Makhan side, where Hepuni and his supporters were taking position.

In this regard, an FIR has been lodged at Maram police station for taking immediate action against the perpetrators, it also informed.

Meanwhile, speaking on the condition of anonymity, some Makhan Khuman villagers contended that K Hepuni, Pfokrelo and D Layee were brutally assaulted by unknown Maram locals at Maram bazaar without any reasons on Friday.

The Mao youths were returning from Kashi and upon reaching Maram Bazaar stopped to get some eatables at a shop.

Without any reason, K Hepuni was manhandled, slapped and beaten with sticks by unknown miscreants.

As one D Layee intervened to calm the commotion, he was also attacked from behind with a large stone on his head resulting in severe cut and taken to hospital unconscious, the villagers claimed, adding that Makhan Khuman Village Authority was informed about the incident, after which the village secretary Athili and K Pfokrelo rushed to the site to compromise and resolve the matter.

However, a large group of Maram people gathered at the spot and resisted to have any talks.

Then out of nowhere K Pfokrelo was also thrashed and K Hepuni's vehicle vandalised by the mob.

In no time, Maram people gathered in great numbers with announcement on loud speakers to mobilise more mob armed with daos, stones and sticks and attacked Makhan Khuman village, leaving numerous innocent villagers injured, over 10 vehicles destroyed and houses vandalised, thus forcing the residents of Makhan Khuman to flee from their houses with their children.

They also said Tadubi police station was informed about the incident even as the attacks by the Maram mob continued.

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