Reporter assaulted, students faint as cops demonstrate gun, brawn muscle power
Police crack down on proposed rally of survivors in relief camps
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 01 2024: A journalist was assaulted while minor students fainted and internally displaced persons sustained injuries due to police action as IDPs attempted to take out a rally demanding resettlement and rehabilitation.

Displaced people of Moreh presently taking shelter at Akampat, Wangjing and Moirangkhom Relief Camp were readying to stage a protest rally from their respective camps towards the Chief Minister's Bungalow to air their grievances.

Notably, the Committee on Protection Meitei Victims, Moreh announced the rally to the Chief Minister's Bungalow raising various demands including rehabilitation of internally displaced persons, removal of Assam Rifles, implementation of the National Register of Citizens.

Reporter assaulted, students faint as cops demonstrate gun, brawn muscle power

A large number of police personnel of Imphal East district, including women police personnel, were deployed to prevent the IDPs from taking out the rally and barricades were set up at different junctions including Moirangkhom and Singjamei Bridge for this purpose.

When the IDPs opened the gate of Ideal Girls' College Akampat Relief Camp to start their protest rally, police personnel warned them to remain inside the camp using a loudspeaker.

Even as the protestors remained inside, the police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs at the displaced folks and inside the college campus.

Numerous tear gas shells exploded inside the classrooms of Ideal Girls' College causing distress to the students present.

Many students and IDPs alike lost consciousness as a result.

In response to the firing, angry IDPs also pelted stones at police personnel and attempted to carry out their protest demonstration.

The confrontation between the two sides near the relief camp lasted around 30 minutes.

Angered by the strong police action against the IDPs, a large number of locals of the surrounding area joined the protestors and pushed back the police team upto the road leading toward Kongba from Singjamei bridge.

The police fired tear gas shells, mock bombs and roughly 20 live rounds of bullets in the air.

At this juncture, an electronic media reporter covering the incident was brutally assaulted by a Sub Inspector of Andro police.

His mobile phone was also destroyed.

Mutum Rameshchandra (RC) Mangang of Impact TV was assaulted on the charge of capturing a video of the incident even after identifying himself as a scribe.

Upon seeing such action against the media person, womenfolk who were present in the area rushed to the spot and stopped the excessive police action.

After a few minutes, N Herojit (DIG Range I) arrived at the spot and spoke with the injured reporter after which the latter was taken to Raj Medicity for treatment.

On the other hand, firing of tear gas shells, mock bombs and pelting of stones along the Singjamei Kongba Road continued till 12.20 pm.

Notably, some protestors also sustained injuries during the police action.

They were evacuated from the spot and taken to different hospitals in Imphal.

During the confrontation, many minor students of S Chaoba Memorial School who were inside their respective classrooms suffocated and fainted due to smoke and gas from the tear gas shells fired by police.

One of the students who is an IDP from Churachandpur, was evacuated in serious condition and underwent treatment at Community Health Centre, Singjamei.

The student is reported to be in a stable condition now.

The confrontation between the two was stopped for a short period of time to allow the traumatized students stuck inside the school to be taken out by their respective families.

Meanwhile, senior officers of the Manipur police including Imphal East SP held talks with the representatives of the IDPs and granted them permission to carry out their rally till Chingamathak.

At Chingamathak, the IDPs from Wangjing Relief Camp were detained by a team of Imphal West district police while they blocked one side of the Imphal-Moreh Road in protest.

After joining them, the two groups collectively raised slogans demanding implementation of NRC, withdrawal of Assam Rifles and their resettlement.

Some of the IDPs from Akampat Relief Camp who took an alternate route through Bamon Leikai were detained by Imphal West district police at Moirangkhom.

Later, they were brought together with the other IDPs staging a demonstration at Chingamathak.

The entire situation was brought under control after the IDPs and senior police officials arrived at an understanding.

Following this, the IDPs returned to Akampat Relief Camp.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Protection of Meitei Victims, Moreh, chairman, Leishangthem Inaocha, told media persons that the relief camp inmates have no certainty about their future prospects.

They have reached a stage of hopelessness wherein the IDPs are all at risk of suffering from mental health issues.

He urged the State legislators to fix a date and discuss the pressing issue of resettlement of IDPs at the ongoing Assembly session.

Further, he appealed to them to pass a resolution and make arrangements to send the IDPs back to their homes to live their lives with dignity.

The State Assembly should also forward a copy of this resolution to the Centre, he added.

The Committee chairman further spoke out against shifting the IDPs to more prefabricated houses and added that the funds sanctioned by the Centre for this purpose should instead be used to strengthen the Manipur police commando and use that additional security to help send the displaced folks from Moreh and Churachandpur back to their homes.