Crossing the limit of brutality
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 15 2012 -

The bruises tell the story of the torture the three victims were allegedly subjected to :: Pix - TSE

A humorous quote says, 'A picture speaks a thousand words... but with Photoshop, it tells a thousand lies!'.

Well, the beating marks on the bodies of three Christmas shoppers from Chandel district could never be a lie with or without Photoshop.

They were fresh and real, and spoke eloquently of the harsh reality of life for common man on the streets of strife-torn Manipur, where security personnel have come to live under the impression that they could do away with anything.

The three Christmas shoppers were reportedly picked up by a combined team of Indian Army and State Police Commandos while they were shopping at Paona Bazar, Imphal in the evening of December 11.

After blind-folding them, the combined team took them to an undisclosed place where they were detained and tortured the whole night accusing them of being criminals, and were finally let off the following morning near FCI godown at Sangaiprou area.

From the disclosure made by three victims, the combined team also robbed them of their mobile phones and Rs 90,000 in cash, which they were carrying for shopping.

As if all these robbing and brutalities were not enough, one of the police personnel in the team also alleged demanded Rs 1 lakh each from the three victims if they did not want to be killed.

Of the three victims, Lalboi Mate (38) of Khundengthabi village is said to be a father of five children while Thangal Baite (36) and Haopu Mate (36), both residents of Moreh Ward no 9, are family men who have sired three and six children respectively.

It is very likely that the three fathers may have come down to Imphal to make purchases for Christmas for their doting children.

But the joy and happiness that would have radiated on the faces of these children on seeing the Christmas gifts bought by their fathers from Imphal, must have been taken over by anxiety and worry at seeing the frightful sight of brutal tortures of the security personnel on their fathers.

What the combined security force was trying to prove with their raw brutality on the three innocent family men who have come from far flung areas for Christmas shopping is something beyond we could ever imagine.

Even if the three victims were guilty of anything, there is no reason why they should have been treated in such an inhumane manner.

The incident has only strengthened the belief of the people that one should not walk around with cash in pocket if the security personnel are around.

The State Government and more particularly Home Minister Gaikhangam should take serious note of the incident and do the needful in accordance to the law of the land if he really meant of what he said when he said that no one, including security personnel, is above the law.

We say, even in brutality, there should be a limit.