Ukhrul to be freed of CrPC, finally
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 07 2014:
After almost two months, the Government of Manipur has decided to withdraw the prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 of CrPC that prevents assembly of four or more people in Ukhrul town.
The decision has been reportedly taken after reviewing the law and order situation prevailing in Ukhrul town.
According to a statement issued by Dr J Suresh Babu, who is the Principal Secretary (Home), Government of Manipur today, the State Government today reviewed the law and order situation prevailing in Ukhrul town and was satisfied that the situation has substantially improved.
Hence, the State Government had decided to withdraw the prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 of CrPC in Ukhrul town.
The Principal Secretary (Home) also said that if the law and order situation further improves/returns to normalcy, the security forces deployed in Ukhrul town will be withdrawn gradually.
It may be noted here that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC that prevents assembly of four or more people was imposed in the Ukhrul town following the killing of Ngalangzer Malue, an elected member to the Autonomous District Council (ADC), Ukhrul on July 12 last.
Ngalangzer Malue, who was also the Vice Chairman of ADC Ukhrul, was killed in an ambush laid by some armed persons, whom the State Government suspected to be members of NSCN (IM), though the outfit had belated denied its involvement in the killing.
Along with imposition of the prohibitory orders, the Government of Manipur deployed a large number of police commandos and IRB personnel and raided one of the regional offices of the Naga rebel group located in Ukhrul town and arrested eight cadres of the armed outfit, which is currently under ceasefire and peace talks with the Government of India.
Various social organisations, more particularly, United Naga Council (UNC), an apex Naga body and other Tangkhul front organisations have been vehemently protesting against what they described as 'militarisation' of Ukhrul town through clamping of restriction under Section 144 of CrPC and deployment of a large number of security forces.
In protest against this so-called 'militarisation' of Ukhrul town, UNC called for a mass peaceful rally on August 30 in all the four hill districts dominated by the Nagas.
During the protest in Ukhrul town which was taken out in defiance of the restriction imposed, two protestors were killed and scores of others sustained injuries in police action.
UNC claimed the police commandos and jawans of IRB opened indiscriminate firing on the 'armed' protesters.
But the police, however, claim that they initially used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators but resorted to firing when they heard gunshots from among the protestors.
In protest against the killing, UNC is currently imposing an indefinite bandh along the National Highways and State highways, and also on construction activities of National Projects in Naga inhabited areas.