Strong allegations raised against AR
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 07 2015 : Apart from being subjected to physical torture, one ZUF cadre was allegedly paraded naked by troops of 8th Assam Rifles in front of village folks at Noney (Longmai) Tamenglong district yesterday afternoon.

Taking strong exception to the humiliating treatment, several civil organisations of Noney have decided to launch different modes of agitation in case the 8th AR CO does not tender an apology and give assurance not to subject any one to such savage and humiliating treatment within 48 hours.

It was reported that the ZUF cadre identified as S/S Capt Joseph of Noney-IV, Peaceland, Tamenglong is commander of Noney area and he has been arrested with one 9 mm pistol with 19 live rounds and Rs 10,000 in cash.

He was reportedly involved in the ambush on 8 AR in Noney area in which three soldiers were injured and also in the ambush on 2/5 GR at L Khunou area of Tamenglong in which four soldiers were wounded.

Both the ambushes took place last month.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, Longmai Students' Union president Poujalung said that troops of 8th AR led by their CO apprehended a ZUF cadre from a house of Noney bazar yesterday afternoon.

People did not raise any objection when the troops pulled up the UG cadre. But their sheer brutality of subjecting the arrested cadre to extreme physical torture after making him almost nude was disdainful.

The CO shouted, "Come out womenfolk.

Now the war has begun; I command 2000 soldiers", Poujalung said.

Such excesses committed by AR troops have created fear psychosis among the local people.

Saying that any act of human rights violation should not be overlooked, Poujalung conveyed that the AR troops reined in their brutality only at the request of civil society organisations of Noney.

In addition to the ZUF cadre, the AR troops took away Charoipandongba village chairman Lungaingam Phaomei and one Gopal alias Gaipanrei.

However, they were released later after repeated requests by civil society leaders and the OC of Noney PS.

In connection with yesterday's incident, a joint meeting of civil society organisations was held today at the office of Longmai Bazar Board.

The meeting decided to launch all kinds of agitation including bandh in case the AR CO fails to give a concrete assurance not to subject any one to such humiliating and inhuman treatment in future apart from tendering an apology within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland) and Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur have condemned the incident in the strongest term.

A joint press release issued by the two organisations recalled that Assam Rifles was once described as the 'Friends of Hill People' by famous Anthropologist and Naturalist Verrier Elwin.

But today the same description has become something like a sugar-coated epithet, they asserted.

They urged both the Government of India and the State Government to check the excesses committed by AR troops.

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