Lilong AC candidates allege attack by rival supporters
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 15 2022: Workers of a rival candidate in Lilong assembly constituency allegedly attacked the entourage of Lilong MLA Antas Khan at Lilong Keithel area on Monday night.

Police source said that workers of the rival candidate pelted stones and attacked the MLA's entourage while on his way to carry out poll campaign in different parts of Lilong AC.

The MLA and his vehicle escaped without any scratch but four vehicles in his entourage were damaged in the attack.

As soon as the report came, a team of Lilong PS rushed there and tried to control the situation.

Later, additional force of Thoubal district police was called and dispersed the mob.

Meanwhile, independent candidate for Lilong AC Md Irshad Hussain has strongly condemned the MLA and independent candidate Abdul Manan for staging the violent incident and vandalising vehicles of civilians, who were simply passing the area.

He also charged workers of the two candidates of attacking his workers by taking advantage of the mob.

Addressing a press meet at Lilong Mairenkhul in the presence of Lilong Youth Organisation (LYO) representatives on Tuesday, Irshad Hussain said that he and his workers were attending a poll campaign meet at Lilong Bazar while celebrating his scrutiny clearance.

In the meantime, MLA Antas Khan and independent candidate Abdul Manan along with their workers came in the area and fired in the air, vandalised vehicles of civilians passing the area and even threatened public, who were simply buying medicines from nearby pharmacy shops, he said.

Maintaining that MLA Antas Khan could have staged the attack for disclosing irregularities in his nomination paper, he said that the two candidates carried out the attack as they feared of losing the election.

He said that he has video clippings and photos of those who used arms in the incident and urged the authority concerned to take up appropriate legal actions against those persons.

He also demanded the government to compensate the vehicle owners for the damage incurred to their properties, he said.

He further said that there are huge possibilities of Antas Khan losing his seat within six months even if he got elected by sheer luck.

A sit-in protest was also organised by supporters of Lilong MLA Y Antas Khan at Lilong Bazar on Tuesday denouncing the alleged attack on the MLA by workers of former MLA Md Abdul Nasir when he was visiting one Makakmayum Kayamuddin alias Kotto at the latter's residence located opposite Lilong Oil Pump around 11 pm on Monday during which the attackers vandalised five vehicles including that of MLA's vehicle.

Speaking to the media, one of the protestors, Rasida condemned the attack on MLA Y Antas Khan and demanded authority concerned to arrest the culprits and punish them as per law.

The protestors also used placards inscribed with slogans denouncing the attack and shouted slogans demanding punishment of the perpetrators.

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