Tension grips Noney over arrest of ZUF cadre
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 07 2015 : Tension gripped Noney village of Tamenglong district after a ZUF cadre was reportedly stripped "half-naked" and severely beaten up by a team of Assam Rifles at Noney Bazaar on Monday.

The incident inflamed the villagers.

A team of 8 Assam Rifles led by its Commanding Officer (CO) arrested a cadre belonging to the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) along with three civilians including a village chairman and a village secretary from Noney Monday afternoon, Zeliangrong Students' Union, Manipur (ZSUM) General Secretary Songrei Gangmei told reporters at Manipur Press Club here on Tuesday.

He alleged that the four persons were subjected to severe beatings by the AR personnel in front of public in the busy market place and that the ZUF cadre, who was tied with a rope, was mercilessly dragged away by them half-naked.

The stand-off between public and AR troops

Gangmei said the AR team arrested the ZUF cadre, Joseph (36) from the house of Gopal at Noney bazaar.

He said the arrested ZUF member, hailing from Assam, had been staying at a house in Noney Part-IV. The student leader said among the four arrested by the AR, three were civilians�Gopal, Lungaingam Gonmei, who is the chairman of Charoipantongba village of Senapati district and Gaikhangzang Daimei, who is the secretary of the village.

The ZSUM leader said CO Rajiv Choudhury of the 8 Assam Rifles should tender an apology to the Noney public over the incident through the media at an earliest failing which the Imphal-Jiribam road (National Highway-37) would be indefinitely blocked.

The 8 Assam Rifles is posted at Noney.

Gangmei said a group of women who were enraged by the incident tried to stop the AR team when the CO shouted, "Come out womenfolk, now the war has begun.

I command 2000 soldiers" .

And later a scuffle ensued between the Noney villagers and the 8 AR over the incident which was condemned by all.

A public meeting was also held at Noney to protest the incident.

However, the three civilians were later released by the AR around 8:30 pm the same day.

The CO should tender an apology to the Noney public over the incident or else the NH-37 would be blocked indefinitely, the ZSUM leader reiterated.

Meanwhile, an Army source claimed that a captain of ZUF named Joseph, who is said to be the Noney area commander and resident of Noney-IV, Peaceland in Tamenglong, was caught by an AR team along with a 9 mm pistol, 19 live rounds and Rs 10,000 in cash.

The source claimed that he was involved in carrying out an ambush on 8 AR in Noney area, injuring three personnel and another ambush on 2/5 GR in L Khunou area of Tamenglong wherein four soldiers were hurt.

The two attacks occurred in March this year, the source said.