Fabricated, inconsistent FIR: HRA to DGP
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 09 2018:
Taking serious note of the midnight crackdown on Manipur University on September 20, the Human Rights Alert (HRA) has petitioned DGP LM Khaute to set things right and release the teachers and students of MU who have been arrested.
Taking note the MU crisis which has been dragging on since May 30, HRA in a petition to the DGP said that is constrained to express concern at the ongoing protest initiated by Manipur University Community demanding the removal of suspended Vice Chancellor Prof AP Pandey and subsequent police action and arbitrary arrest and detention of students and teachers of Manipur University.
On the search and cordon operation conducted in the dead of the night on September 21 on the basis of a complaint filed by Pro VC K Yugindro Singh, HRA said that police need to be sensitive in dealing with a particular situation and explore all channels before resorting to use of force on that scale.
Citing United Nations guidelines on the basic principles for law enforcement agencies, HRA said that the fundamental principles of necessity and proportionality should be abided.
Force should be used by police only when strictly necessary for law enforcement and maintaining public order and the application of force should be proportional, said HRA referring to the UN guidelines.
The FIR (No.223 (9) 2018 U/S 147/148/149/365/ 342/307/506/384/120-B/34 IPC & 7 Cril Law Amdt Act) lodged by K Yugindro resulted in the subsequent brutal police action including arrest and detention of the students and university teachers, said HRA and added that this highly questionable as the allegation levelled in the FIR is far beyond the truth and charges are found to be fabricated.
The entire scene was videographed and it was widely circulated in the social media, said HRA and added that the video evidence shows complete contradiction to the alleged offence mentioned in the FIR.
It is pertinent to note that from an official letter from the Governor's Secretariat, dated October 6 {No.GSM/MU-1/96(Pt-III)}, a meeting was held between the Governor of Manipur, Prof Yugindro and Prof Aran Kumar at Raj Bhavan on September 21.The letter charged VC (i/c) Prof Yugindro for defamation and crossing the limits of protocol and propriety.
The letter also mentioned that during the said meeting Prof Yugindro had admitted to the Governor that he had filed a false FIR against the students, as the students never manhandled him.
Under these circumstances when video evidence of the falsity of the charges have gone viral and the office of the Governor itself has put down in black and white the fabricated nature of the charges, HRA said that it is not logical in prolonging the detention of the arrested students and teachers of Manipur University.
"We therefore strongly urge the Director General of Police, Manipur to kindly release them and also further calls for your good office to see to it that the police station concerned investigates the whole incident of abuse of power and hold the officials accountable, which has caused so much public distress besides compromising the career of thousands of students," urged HRA.
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