Youth severely assaulted over Travel Pass : WTR rounds up VC, Secy of Ukl locality
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, October 04 2020: The Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) and Hunphun Katamnao Long (HKL) Ukhrul have strongly come out against the brutal assault of a young man over payment for a Travel Pass, by local leaders of Rayotang, Ukhrul at their community hall.

Soshim Keishing of Kumram village, Kamjong district, a UPSC aspirant was thrashed severely by the Action Committee members of Rayotang, Ukhrul yesterday.

Trouble started when Soshim asked for a travel pass from the local authorities of Rayotang to travel to Imphal to appear for the UPSC exams scheduled today.

The travel pass has been mandated by the locality in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There he was asked to cough up Rs 50 to get the travel pass and the young requested that he be exempted from paying the pass fee, he being a student.

Youth severely assaulted over Travel Pass

The request that he be exempted was however turned down and Soshim forked out the Rs 50 for the travel pass, after which he went back home.

Later, the young UPSC aspirant was called again by the Rayotang authority and he was taken to the local community hall where the vice chairman and the secretary handed him over to the local Action Committee members.

Thereafter a heated argument ensued and Soshim was brutally beaten on the charge that he had shown utter disrespect to the Rayotang authority.

Moreover the Rayotang authority took the decision to expel him from the locality where he stays as a tenant.

Soshim was rushed to the district hospital in a serious condition.

Fortunately the young man is now in a stable condition and is out of danger.

As news of the brutal assault did the round and went viral on the social media, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) immediately called a joint emergency meeting inviting (Hunphun VAs, TNWL, TKS, TMNL, TCFC and Zonal chairmen) and resolved that no village/locality should charge money for travel pass permit and ruled that Rayotang shall revoke the decision to expel the tenant from the locality.

Ukhrul police also swiftly acted and arrested four local action committee members involved in the incident.

FIR has been lodged against them for causing hurt and the police is hunting for the vice chairman and secretary of Rayotang.

Reportedly the vice chairman and the secretary of Rayotang are in the custody of Wung Tangkhul Region of Ukhrul for further investigation.

Extending support to the victim and seeking justice, TKS and HKL urged all not to repeat such irresponsible acts in future.