Police check-post torched : Arrest of UG suspect sparks violence at Moreh
Source: The Sangai Express

Moreh, September 01 2013: A police check-post opened here was torched in the course of a violent public outcry following arrest of a suspected PRA cadre by commandos posted in the border town.

Moreover, all major roads of the town were blocked for many hours.

The public outcry was mollified only after the suspected PRA cadre was released on a PR bond following a process of negotiation between Government officials including ADC Moreh and local community leaders and women activists.

Commandos attached to Moreh PS pulled up one suspected PRA cadre namely Thengkei alias Chongjokai Kipgen (22) s/o Thongyo Kipgen from Chikim Veng here at around 3 pm yesterday.

Decrying the arrest of Thengkei, a large group of people belonging to Chikim Veng marched to Moreh PS at around 9.40 pm and demanded release of Thengkei.

The group also staged violent protest demonstrations in front of the police station.

As the situation turned more violent, commandos fired tear gas shells as well as live bullets in the air.

In the melee that ensued, some women of Chikim Veng sustained injuries.

Officials mollifying the public and the torched police check post

After a gap of some time following the violent confrontation, some unidentified persons wielding small arms and rifles fired several rounds of shots at the gate of Moreh SDPO complex.

Moreh police and commandos retaliated the firing and the unidentified persons fled from the scene taking advantage of the darkness.

Later, an enraged mob set afire a police check post near Kondong Lairembi complex, about 3 Kms away from Moreh police station.

Moreover, some unidentified persons opened several rounds of shots at different places of Moreh.

Taking serious note of the tense and violent situation, IGP P Pachau, DIG Y Chandramani, SP Chandel E Priyokumar, ADC Moreh Robert Kshetrimayum and SDPO Moreh Balaram arrived here this afternoon.

The police and civil officers convened a meeting with representatives of Hill Tribal Council, Kuki Women Union and Human Rights and villagers of Chikim Veng at the police IB.

After some negotiation, the two sides came to an agreement under the condition that Thengkei alias Chongjokai Kipgen will be released on a PR bond.

Meanwhile, many people had to endure much trouble because of the bandh imposed on Imphal-Moreh highway this morning.

They lamented that presence of large number of Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, Manipur Rifles and commandos at Moreh serves no purpose if any group can impose bandh at the town without giving any warning and cadres under SoO pact can roam around with arms and dictate terms to civilians even though Moreh is being projected as an important centre of international trade and commerce.