Goons assault, loot DSWOs on NH-2
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 15 2017:
Unidentified goons claiming to be underground cadres reportedly assaulted and looted District Social Welfare Officers of different districts at Keithelmanbi under Motbung police station last night.
Addressing reporters at a press meet held at Manipur Press Club today evening, the DSWO Tamenglong, AS Robinson said that he along with DSWO Ukhrul K Romesh; DSWO Imphal East Th Nilamani and DSWO Senapati JK Makabao; a research officer; extension officer and a computer operator of Social Welfare Department went to Mao Puranamei village to attend an ordainment ceremony of DSWO's son yesterday.
He narrated that one of the two vehicles brought by the team broke down while returning to Imphal and had to be pulled by the second vehicle.
When the team reached Keithelmanbi area, they were chased and stopped by three unknown persons who came on a white-colour Honda Activa scooter.
According to the DSWO, they were asked to come down from the vehicles.
After doing so, their mobile phones were snatched by the unidentified persons and they were taken to a dark road corner.
Three youths who claimed themselves to be underground cadres with small arms in their possession told the team that they were given information by their high command that the vehicles in which the team were coming are stolen vehicles, he said.
All of a sudden, the goons assaulted them with a stick and a hard object and also threatened to kill all of them.
They were also asked how many of them are Naga and Meitei.
Later, they were released by the goons after paying a sum of Rs 6000 .
The District Social Welfare Officers expressed dissatisfaction towards the locals of Keithelmanbi area for remaining mute spectators to the incident.
Saying that they had met similar incident in the area in the past, the DSWOs appealed to the authority concerned to look into the activities of goons in the area.