'Denial on AR excesses made under duress'
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 30 2013: Zeliangrong Youth Front (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) has asserted that Chairman of Bitiang (Laphok) Village Authority M.Kanamsin was forced to issue a statement denying excesses committed by the personnel of 10 Assam Rifles under duress.

In a statement jointly signed by its President Titus Kamei and General Secretary Subash Kamei, ZYF (AMN) informed that Kanamsin was summoned to the head office of the Front on 28th September, 2013 at 2.00 pm in connection with his press clarification published on 23rd September, 2013 on behalf of the 10th Assam Rifles refuting the Zeliangrong Youth Front's condemnation over the Assam Rifles excessive acts perpetrated upon the two innocent persons without any reason.

The Chairman, accompanied by women folks, elders and concerned MDC member of the areas where the village falls, came and appeared, and the truth about the incident was extracted from the villagers.

It has been established that one Captain Rohit of 10th Assam Rifles posted at Lamdangmei village has been persecuting the villagers since his posting at the said A.R post.

Sometime in the month of February 2013, the captain and his team conducted combing operation.

During the said operation, the Assam Rifles personnel entered all houses and searched thoroughly and all the license gun and even pump (air) gun were seized.

The operation also conducted without participation of police personnel.

The incident of taking into custody of two innocent persons namely Tanthailung Malangmei S/o Gaijanglung Malangmei and Phungangam Malangmei S/o Meihomlung Malangmei on 31st August, 2013 at 06:00 pm and being held captive till 2nd September, 2013 and released only at 10.00 am without informing the parents of the two persons and also to the village Chairman or elders is an act of unlawful/illegal detention and captivity which was something never expected to have been committed by Assam Rifles who are supposedly to be there for security and protection of the people.

Lamdangmei village and Bitiang (Laphok) village are like one village.

The Assam Rifles personnel, including captain Mr.Rohit is also familiar with each and every persons of the village including the victims, the two innocent persons.

When the news of the Assam Rifles personnel picking up two innocent people came to know by the people of the village, the women folks and some village elders went to the Assam Rifles post to enquire and authenticate the report.

When asked about the reason and ground of picking up and detention, the Assam Rifles personnel stated that they were held captive for questioning.

On further enquiry by the women folks, and demanded for their immediate release of the two innocent who were being held captive, the Assam Rifles revealed to the women folks that some items including camouflage shirt, cash amounting to Rs.10,000, essential needs like tooth brush, tooth paste hair oil comb, etc', wearing jungle booth, etc from the possession of the two persons.

While being held captive period, the two innocent persons were subjected to different forms of tortured such, electric shock, physically torture, burnt candle on their feet, harassed, etc.

But the press clarification issued by M.Kanamsin, Chairman, Bitiang (Laphok) village Authority on 21st September, 2013 was made under duress of the Assam Rifles, the statement of ZYF (AMN) asserted.

Moreover, the villagers who accompanied the village Chairman, M.Kanamsin confessed that the 10th Assam Rifles restricted and prohibited the villagers to move out of the village without taking permission.

The two innocent persons who were tortured and received injury during questioning and interrogation are not allowed to go outside for further medical treatment.

But the Assam Rifles advised the victims to come at the 10th Assam Rifles Unit Hospital located at Longmai (Noney).

The two innocent persons are presently walking with the support of crutch/walking stick and still complained of acute pain on different parts of their body which requires urgent medical treatment.

The villagers who appeared at the summon also appealed to ZYF to do every possible means to stop these kinds of excessive acts of the Assam Rifles as well as expressed their apprehension in case of their revelation to the ZYF is again come to know by the Assam Rifles.

Accordingly, ZYF has imposed customary fine of Rs.5,000 for publishing wrong information on behalf of the 10th Assam Rifles with an attempt to mislead the public and defame the ZYF, the statement added.

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