Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, November 02:
Hundreds of women meira paibi and students took out a public rally this afternoon in Imphal protesting against the rape of a housewife by an Assam Rifles jawan at Luwangsangbam early last month.
The rallyists were demanding appropriate punishment of the rapist, and lifting of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from the state.
The rally was organized under the aegis of a Joint Action Committee, spearheaded by meira paibi leaders Ima Kombi, Ima Ramani, Ima Janaki and incorporating a number of meira paibi and women's groups, including the Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba, Manipur, All Manipur Meira Paibi United Action Committee, All Manipur Muslim Women's Organization and others.
The rally was flagged off at around 12:30 this afternoon from ThAU ground, Thangmeiband.
The rallyists proceeded via Khoyathong, Nagamapal and Waheng Leikai towards Keishampat bridge, where the police had put up barbed wire and deployed heavy security to stop the entry of the rallyists into the hyper sensitive zone.
However, no confrontation took place and the rallyists rounded the Keishampat traffic point and retraced their route to the ThAU ground.