Many protest firing, gherao residence of accused
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 16 2023:
A large number of youth gheraoed the residence of Manoharmayum Barish Sharma, ex-BJYM president who is alleged to be the prime accused of the firing incident which took place at Sega Road Khwairakpam Leikai on October 14 night.
Denouncing the indiscriminate firing which left five people including a woman injured, a large protest demonstration was also staged at Konjeng Hajari Leikai, Tiddim Road today.
A large number of people participated in the protest demonstration held under the aegis of the JAC Against Indiscriminate Shooting of Innocent People, Sega Road and they used placards which read as "We condemn shooting innocent people", "We condemn firing in civilian areas", "Eliminate gun culture", "Punish all the culprits without any delay" etc.
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The protesters decried the State Government's failure to check violent activities of armed hoodlums.
One youth said that the society is in a dire state if the citizens cannot express their opinions or ideas in public domain and social media.
The principles of democracy and its essence should be safeguarded and citizens should be able to exercise the right to freedom of expression if any society should march ahead on the path of development, he said.
The youth and Meira Paibis who took part in the protest demonstration went to the Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal residence of Manoharmayum Barish Sharma at around 3.30 pm .
They sat down at the gate and asked Barish to come out and talk with them.
As Barish was not present at his home at that moment, the protesters talked with some Meira Paibis and elderly persons of the locality.
Alleging that Barish Sharma was involved in a number of crimes, the protesters questioned the silence of the local people on his criminal activities.
They also asked what the local people would do now against M Barish.
At this, the local Meira Paibis sought two days' time to discuss the matter.
However, the protesters urged the local Meira Paibis to hold an emergency meeting and arrive at a decision. They (the protesters) maintained that they would wait for the emergency meeting's decision.
Subsequently, the local people and Meira Paibis held a meeting and came with three decisions and the protesters, accepting the decisions, went away.
The first decision said that the Government must arrest Manoharmayum Barish Sharma within 48 hours and he should come out with a clarification.
Barish Sharma and his family should pay all the medical bills of the victims of the October 14 firing, as per the second resolution.
The third resolution says that the local people would boycott Manoharmayum Barish Sharma.
As the large number of protesters gheraoed the residence of Barish, police kept a close watch so as to thwart any untoward incident.
Imphal East SP Dr S Ibomcha too came and monitored the situation.