Protestors accuse BJYM of inflicting gunshot wound
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, September 20 2022:
Hundreds of enraged protestors from Leikot area in Kangpokpi district demanded stringent action against Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Manipur for allegedly inflicting gunshot wound on a person.
A sit-in-protest was staged at Damdei Taloulong on Tuesday denouncing BJYM's alleged unlawful activities on a drug peddler, whom BJYM members injured on September 16 at around 4:30 pm at K Orphanage village.
The protestors demanded an apology and cleaning of the village and incident site as per Kuki customary law.
As per Kuki customary law, anyone who sheds blood must apologise by performing "Toltheh" (cleaning of the village or incident area).
Lhingneikim Kipgen, father of the injured person, recounted that on the said day pm, BJYM executives stopped his son, Mangminsei Kipgen at Kanglatongbi Orphanage near War Cemetery and shot him twice on his left leg accusing him of carrying some contraband tablets.
Mother of Mangminsei, who is currently in police custody at Gamnom Saparmeina Police Station with a bullet injury, alleged that the BJYM executives led by its president Barish Sharma came in three vehicles and committed the illegal and highly condemnable act.
However, she said, BJYM on September 17 reported in the news that her son was also carrying a small arm (pistol), which is totally false and baseless but purely a sinister plan of BJYM to justify their action.
She also clarified that her son does not have the capacity to buy such arms and he has also no nexus with any armed group or gang.
"Militants, drug peddlers are nabbed and put behind the bar by the authority concerned but they do not cause injuries to anyone like what BJYM did to my son," the mother added.
Leikot Area Youth Organisation president Mangjangam Kipgen, who is also a member of the anti-drugs campaign in Leikot area, said that everyone can be a source of information on the war on drugs but all are not authorised to take law into their own hands.
He continued that they are not against the war on drugs but totally against such gun culture by unauthorised agencies or authorities like BJYM.
"BJYM must apologise according to the customary law at the earliest," he added.
Chief of K Orphanage village Chungson said that firing in a place where many destitute innocent children are residing is totally unacceptable and the culprits must tender an apology as per the customary law since the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the village.
Chief of Leikot Mangsat Kipgen said that he can accept and also endorse police and other authorities concerned nabbing and putting behind the bar any drug peddlers from his village but cannot accept injuring and shedding blood of his villagers, whether they are good or bad, by any unauthorised agencies or bodies; He also said that as per customary law, any person who sheds blood of others must tender an apology by performing "Toltheh" and BJYM must perform the customary practice to tender an apology at the earliest otherwise they will not remain silent.