Army refutes manhandling
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 14 2012:
Army has strongly refuted the news report regarding high handedness of 6/8 Gorkha Rifles at Majuran Kabui village in Churachandpur district.
Quoting Army authorities, a PIB (DW) press release clarified that on September 12, personnel of 6/8 GR received a specific intelligence input regarding presence of few high ranking ZUF activists in the village.
There had been reports earlier too in the recent past regarding presence of ZUF activists in the same village.
Based on the information, a search operation was launched in the village.
In the process of searching of some selected houses, Dimdhaongam, who is alleged to have been slapped by security forces, was actually enabling the operations since he was fluent in English and helped in interpreting the questions that were asked by the security forces.
Neither he nor his father Lungampao were subjected to physical assault of any kind, the press release added.
It further clarified that no weapon was cocked at Roma Kamei nor threatened her.
The allegation of her snapshot being taken was also baseless and bereft of any truth, it added.
Further, Army authorities also clarified that no manhandling of any kind was resorted to.
On the contrary, womenfolk of the village created a commotion thereby preventing security force to continue the search operation.
It must be remembered that the incident occurred a day prior to the conduct of the Panchayat elections, when the SF were in extremely high state of alert, the press release added.
Further, in the past ten days or so, there has been a sudden spurt in violent activities in Manipur valley with a series of IED blasts, grenade lobbing.
It was natural for security forces to be omnipresent and omnipotent in the run of the elections and to prevent presence of anti-social elements or prevent any untoward incident.
What is obvious is that insurgents, in addition to their heightened activities, are also resorting to such worthless tactics to ensure that security forces do not conduct their operations to bring about peace and normalcy in the State, the press release added.