Random arrest fear grips Mayang Imphal village
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 03 2013: Based on complaints about arbitrary arrest of local youths by security forces and security force informers luring young girls to work for them, a fact finding team of human right defenders today visited Hangul village in Mayang Imphal to assess the situation.

A public meeting attended by functionaries of Human Rights Alert and United NGO Mission Manipur was also organised by Hangul Social Youth Action Committee at Hangul Mayai Leikai community hall, near sekmaijin.

Having heard statements by some of the victims and their family members/relatives, HRA executive director Babloo Loitongbam strongly condemned security forces trying to allegedly frame innocent youngsters and undue advantage of naive local girls.

Charging security forces of continuously violating human rights of citizens of Manipur and feeling of insecurity by the masses despite huge presence of security forces in the State, Babloo reminded all concerned that the issue of abusing human rights had been frequently debated in the Parliament.

The fact that Parliament had enacted Prevention of Torture Act is a clear message for the security forces to follow prescribed norms and not resort to arbitrary arrest of people even if someone is suspected to have acted against the law, said the executive director.

Suggesting that FIR be filed against rogue security informers for creating fear and apprehension in Hangul areas, the rights activist also demanded that State authorities investigate the matter and rein in disruptive elements.

Senior Hangul villagers speaking at the occasion highlighted that on October 21 a joint meeting of hangul and Santhel villages in the presence of the local MLA and representatives of Hiyanglam and Mayang Imphal police stations discussed on various incidents of random arrest and informers luring young girls taking advantage of romantic relationships.

The senior citizens also expressed strong resentment over the alleged failure by the State police to check unwanted incidents in the said villages.

According to one Hamida Bebi (47) of Hangul Makha Leikai her 23-year old son namely Amir Khan was picked up from home by troops of 27 Assam Rifles posted at Kakching in the wee hours of September 27 .

The AR troops reportedly knocked at the door in the midnight with one of the callers speaking in Manipuri (Meiteilon).

But when the mother refused the security personnel kicked down the door and dragged away Amir Khan from his bed.

Rejecting the AR team's charge that Amir Khan is a PLA activist and claiming to recover a weapon from his possession, Hamida said her son is the only bread winner of the family and works as a construction labourer or any other work he could find.

She also demanded unconditional release of Amir Khan, said to be in jail.

Twenty years old Chesam Abdul Majid s/o Abdul Sattar of Hangul Makha Leikai also had a similar tale to tell.

Recounting that on the intervening night of october 18 and 19 an unknown person made a desperate call to open the door stating that security forces are chasing him, Majid said when none of the family members obliged the door was knocked down by the same caller who eventually turned out to accompanying troops of 27 Assam Rifles and police commandos.

Even though the combined team dragged him out of bed and started to thrash him and his father outside the house the security forces did not take either Majid or his father, narrated the youngster.

Majid also said that at an earlier occasion a former UG activist namely Akhan alias Rohit, who was familiar to him but doubtful about the latter's address threatened of dire consequences for Majid and his family members thwarting Akhan's intention to have romantic relation with one his (Majid) cousin sisters.

Conceding that the Chesam family cautioned the girl against having any further relationship with akhan after confirming that Akhan is a surrenderee, Majid suspected Akhan's threat to be in revenge for foiling his intention.

Majid reportedly met Akhan when the former was a transport worker on the Imphal-Moreh line.

Another tale of security force atrocities was narrated by one Phusam Amir Khan (19) s/o Abdul Salam of the same locality as Majid Khan.

Contending that an unknown person called him out of home on August 21 at around 7 pm to have some talk, Amir said security force personnel came in a Maruti Gypsy when they were conversing near a local pan dukan.

The security team took him to the Komlakhong Chingthi camp of Assam Rifles where Amir was subjected to severe thrashing with repeated posers about his alleged link with UG group.

The next day Amir was handed over to Mayang Imphal police as a PREPAK cadre, he said.

Outrightly rejecting the charge of Amir being a UG activist, his mother said Amir is a married person having an infant daughter.

Strongly condemning the security force atrocities, she also confided that amir used to suffer from fits of epilepsy.

Hangul Social Youth Action Committee members vehemently protesting frequent misconduct by security forces and expressing grave concern over sense of insecurity in the area also demanded that Amir Khan be released from jail at the earliest.

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