2 cops involved in scuffle with DESAM volunteers on Jul 16 suspended
Colleagues go on arms down strike for 4 hrs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 19 2018:
Taking serious note of the police action on DESAM volunteers in front of the State BJP office on July 16 in which secretary general of Oinam Shital narrowly escaped death after he fell under the wheel of a moving truck during a scuffle with the cops, the State Government has placed two police personnel under suspension.
Oinam Shital who escaped death by the whisker suffered fracture on his left shoulder and is undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity with some other DESAM volunteers.
The two policemen who have been placed under suspension are Sub-Inspector Gunachandra Chanam of Imphal West and Head Constable Sidarth Thokchom also of Imphal West.
Imphal West SP, Jogeshchandra Haobijam has issued the suspension order today.
During the period of suspension, the headquarters of the two cops will be Reserve Lines, Imphal West and they will not leave the station without the prior permission of the SP, said the order adding that they will receive subsistence allowance as admissible under the rules.
Protesting the suspension of the two police personnel, Imphal West district commando personnel launched an arms down strike for around 4 hours today evening.
The strike was launched by the commando personnel of Imphal West district in support of the two suspended commando personnel soon after an order was issued by SP Imphal West.
Later the strike was called off after the agitating commando personnel held a talk with DGP Manipur Police at Imphal West command complex.
It may be mentioned that DESAM has been demanding the suspension of the police personnel responsible for injuring DESAM secretary general in front of BJP head office as well as the police constable involved in lathi charging the agitating students in front of the CM bungalow on July 17.Chief Minister N Biren during his visit to the injured students at Raj Medicity today morning, had told media persons that the State Government has suspended two police personnel in connection with the incident and in the afternoon, SP Imphal West had issued the suspension order of the two commando personnel of Imphal West district.
Soon after the suspension order came out, commando personnel who were on duty in different parts of the State to maintain law and order in light of the 48 hours general strike, left their respective places where they were deployed and gathered at Imphal West commando complex After gathering at the commando complex, the commando personnel laid down their arms and declined to perform their duties further.
Teams of Imphal West district commando deployed in various part of the Imphal West district also left their respective post at Kanglatongbi, Lamshang, Patsoi, Mayang Imphal and other posts and came to Imphal West commando complex to join the arms down strike in support of their suspended colleagues.
Other personnel of Imphal west district commando who were on off duty were also called up to the Imphal west commando complex to join the arms down strike.
Soon after getting the information of the arms down strike, SP Imphal West and DIG K Jayentakumar came to the complex and tried to settle the issue.
After they failed to settle the issue, LM Khaute, DGP Manipur Police, himself along with the Additional DGP came to Imphal West commando complex.
After holding a meeting with the commando personnel for around an hour an agreement was reached and the commando personnel resumed their normal duties although none of the Imphal West commando personnel have agreed to explain any of the grounds on which the settlement was brought.