Court permits floral tributes
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 09 2016 :
A Single Bench of Justice N Kotiswar of the High Court of Manipur has passed an order to allow the petitioners, relatives, friends and well wishers of nine persons, who died in an encounter with the army in 1982 at Kodompokpi to perform ritual ceremonies and pay floral tributes at their memorial site at Chingmeirong on April 13 .
The Court also asked the authority concerned to take up appropriate measures to maintain law and order at the me- morial site so that people can pay floral tributes from 8 am to 4 pm on the day.
The High Court order came after the family members of those persons killed in the encounter filed a writ petition.
Speaking to reporters at Manipur Press Club, petitioners' counsel N Surendrajit said that the family members were compelled to file the writ petition as the State Government failed to respond to applications submitted in this regard on January 18 and March 9 .
Respondents of the writ petition are Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Imphal West SP and Imphal West DC.
Families Committee for Observation of April 13 member N Ibohalbi said that nine persons died in an encounter with the Indian Army on April 13, 1982 at Kodom-pokpi.
The family members, relatives and well wishers of these nine persons used to perform rituals and pay floral tributes at their memorial site at Cheiraoching till 1999 .
However, the State Government started imposing restriction on it from 2000, he said.
As such, they had to approach the Court every year, he said and added that for this year as well, the Court has given permission through an order passed on April 6, he said.
He also urged all concerned to not impose any kind of bandh and blockade on April 13.He also urged the public to pay floral tributes at the memorial site on the day.