ATSUM leaders sent to jail
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 06 2022: The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal west today remanded five leaders of the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) to judicial custody on the charges of conspiring to impose economic blockade in the hill districts of the State.

However, the Court rejected an application filed by Heingang police station for making formal arrest of them in connection with another FIR case.

ATSUM president Paothinthang Lupheng (45) s/o Paohao Lupheng of Khomunnom village, general secretary Andria Sinruwang (36) s/o SR Ngamdil of Unopat village, information secretary Khaiminlen Doungel (35) s/ o Douthang Doungel of Gengjang Leimakhong, assistant secretary, forest and environment Marankhai Awangshi (31) s/o AS Wungkato of Tashar Village and advisor John H Pulamte (51) s/o (L) Laithlunglein of Rangkai, presently staying at Games Village Zone III were produced before the Court on completion of police custody period along with a prayer for remanding them to judicial custody.

Through an APP, the IO of the case submitted that one Wahengbam Chinglen-sana lodged a written report to the OC of Imphal police station on August 2 stating that some vested interested persons in the name of the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) threatened to cut off supply of essential commodities and life saving drugs to all the people of Manipur by imposing total bandh/blockade on the National Highways and had started blocking all private and Government hospitals, educational institutions, Government offices, business establishments, private vehicles, trucks and other transporters and even movement of general public.

Bandhs and blockades threaten the life of general public particularly of those who are fully dependent on life saving drugs in the pandemic situation and because of the blockade, the common people in the State have started suffering for want of essential commodities including medicines, the complaint pointed out.

The Supreme Court of India had already made it clear that road and rail blockades are totally illegal and unconstitutional.

Hence a case was registered and the alleged accused persons were arrested, the IO submitted.

As revealed by the arrested leaders during police interrogation, the ATSUM called a meeting at around 4 pm of July 31 through video conferencing with some hill student organizations and resolved to call a 24 hours total shutdown with effect from 6 pm of August 3 till 6 pm of August 4 in the entire hill districts of the State in pursuit of their demand for tabling the Manipur (Hill Areas) ADC Bill 2021 which was recommended by the Hill Areas Committee in the recently concluded second session of the 12th Legislative Assembly and in protest against the alleged deceitful act of the incumbent HAC Members of deviating from their previous position.

The ATSUM leaders further disclosed that their main constituents are ANSAM, SDSA, TKS, NSUC, ZSUM, KSO general headquarters, JSB Churachandpur, KSO Sadar Hills and KSO Tengnoupal etc and another meeting was held at Haipi village, Senapati on the same demand of tabling the HAC recommended - Manipur (Hill Areas) ADC Bill 2021 in the second session of the 12th Legislative Assembly.

It was also learnt that ATSUM had already started shut-down/bandh in different parts of the hill districts thereby stranding a large number of private vehicles, trucks, other transporters carrying essential items and life saving drugs.

Besides blocking movement of vehicles and essential commodities, ATSUM has committed many violent acts, the IO submitted.

During the ATSUM shutdown, violent mobs burnt down the DTO office, Churachandpur and police vehicles belonging to Ukhrul Police at Ukhrul.

The accused persons have been playing key roles including planning and announcement of bandh/shutdown on National Highways and they were deeply involved in instigating the people, specially tribal communities to rise up against the State and create an unstable environment, the IO said.

The Court, on perusal of the material on record and after hearing the submission of the IO, remanded the five leaders of ATSUM to judicial custody till August 20 .

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