Civilians feel security frisking along Kamjong road as 'harassment'
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ukhrul, October 17 2014 :
Civilians travelling to and from Kamjong are reeling under the brunt of regular frisking by security forces at Gamnoum Assam Rifles outpost which causes inconveniences and harassment to women and children.
According to a reliable report, the personnel of 44 AR stationed at Gamnoum outpost is "regularly frisking and unnecessarily interrogating" the passengers travelling to and from Kamjong and adjoining villages.
"The security personnel asked women passenger to open their purses and enquired about the reason for possessing money�some were even asked to disclose the exact amount of cash in their possession and count them to ascertain it," said a 30-year old man, on condition of anonymity.
Public in the area felt that the regular frisking and interrogation of civilian passengers are unnecessary, while it also caused lot of inconveniences and harassment to weary travelers.
Reports stated that the security frisking on passing vehicles to and from Ukhrul and Imphal at Gamnoum AR outpost was heightened recently.
The villagers in the area were at their wits end as to why such situation has developed suddenly.
It may be mentioned Kamjong is a sub-divisional town located 120-km from Imphal and the border area is a transit point of various insurgent groups including Naga factions and valley-based organisations.
On Friday, a woman travelling in a bus from Kamjong to Imphal was so shaken after a jawan asked her the purpose of carrying some amount of money.
In fact, she was on her way to state capital to treat her ailing husband, who has to undergo operation in a hospital.
The concerned public are now apprehensive that if such situation continues, the relationship between the Assam Rifles, friend of the hill people and civilians in the region may get affected adversely.
They appealed to the authorities to look into the matter and urged for normalcy to return on the Kamjong road.