COPTAM flays assault
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 01 2011:
COPTAM has said that it views with utmost contempt the unsavory incident in Imphal where a group of people identifying themselves as activists of a social organisation manhandled a man mistaking him to be the general secretary of its organization (COPTAM) .
This was stated by chairman of COPTAM Letpu Haokip today while recalling the incident.
He said that on June 28 at about 2 pm, a group of people waylaid Ramhaoleng at North AOC in Imphal and began manhandling him, mistaking him to be the general secretary of COPTAM Thangkam Lupheng.
"Ramhaoleng was grabbed by the collar and pushed against a wall while being inquired condescendingly if he was Thangkam Lupheng," said Haokip and added that only after he had identified himself satisfactorily to the intruders by producing his ID did they let him off.
"This is a very serious matter and we view it with utmost contempt," he said.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Ramhaoleng had informed Thangkam Lupheng, who is known to him, over the phone after he was set free.
"After they realized the gaffe, they promptly identified themselves as activists of the organisation in question who were only interested in speaking with Thangkam Lupheng," chairman of COPTAM quoted Ramhaoleng as saying.
The chairman of COPTAM said that the incident might be a vicious repercussion of the charter of demands on tribal rights put forth by the organization before the state government which has been needlessly dragging on for over a year now.
"The state government will be solely held responsible if any untoward incident befall upon leaders of COPTAM," added Haokip while also demanding clarification from the group that ambushed Ramhaoleng at North AOC, mistaking him to be Thangkam Lupheng.
"The people who intercepted Ramhaoleng and manhandled him must come out in the open," he said.