NPP candidate's father shot at, six injured
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 19 2022:
At least seven people were injured and admitted to different hospitals while 12 houses and five cars were destroyed in a chain of election related violent incidents in Andro assembly constituency late Friday evening.
The incidents occurred at Yairipok Yambem and Tulihal areas of the constituency under Imphal East district, clashes broke out between supporters/workers of BJP and NPP candidates at separate places.
Among the injured include NPP candidate for Andro AC Lourembam Sanjoy's father Shyamjai and ex-MLA Th Shyamkumar's driver Takhellambam Thoibimacha of Yairipok Top.
Both of them suffered bullet injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.
While Shyamjai suffered bullet injury on his left shoulder when some unidentified persons fired at him while going for evening walk near his house, Thoibimacha suffered bullet wound on his back in another election related violence that occurred late Friday evening.
Other injured victims are identified as BJP Andro Mandal president in-charge Meihoubam Babu's wife M Jamini; Babu's younger brother M Modhu and son M Krisnananda; Soraisam Dhananjay, son of late S Thoiba and Dhananjay's mother Asangbi.
All of them are residents of Yairipok Yambem Makha Leikai.
Shyamjai is currently undergoing treatment at Shija hospitals and Thoibimacha at Raj Medicity while Jamini, Modhu and M Krisnananda have been admitted to Advanced Hospital.
Meanwhile, DGP P Doungel visit ed Andro on Saturday and inspected the spots where the violence occurred.
Doungel informed media persons after inspecting the spots that involvement of security forces in Friday night's incidents cannot be ruled out as candidates contesting election are always accompanied by security personnel.
Apart from this, there is ECI's instruction to ensure safety of all candidates and hence provided security to candidates.
However, it was not right that the violence occurred after 10 pm as the ECI has instructed all election related works are to be completed within 10pm and there will be no violence if all political parties stick to ECI guidelines and instructions and work accordingly, he said and appealed to people not to venture out from homes after 10 pm.
On the other hand, ex-MLA Th Shy-amkumar has strongly called for stopping election related violence and appealed to all concerned to allow voters to cast their votes for candidates of their choices.
He also said that using force to become people's representative cannot be successful and Friday evening's incidents will be challenged with the help of court.
On the other hand, NPP candidate Sanjoy said that it was very unfortunate that some unidentified people suspected to be BJP workers attacked him and his father at different places of Andro and such attacks have been occurring every now and then.
He then appealed to authority concerned to take action against those standing in the way of a free and fair election in Andro AC .