Police caution protesters against using firearms
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 15 2024:
Categorically stating that any society will crumble if there is no law and order, Manipur Police have warned all concerned not to use firearms in the name of protest agitation.
Briefing media persons in the conference hall of SP Imphal West today, DIG (Range-I) N Herojit said that Manipur police is there to maintain law and order.
During this difficult time, Manipur Police personnel, apart from maintaining law and order, have been deployed in peripheral areas of the State to deal with various miscreants.
In the last few days, various kinds of agitation erupted in different parts of the State but it is unfortunate that many of the agitators did not follow the normal course of protest.
Instead, they are using lethal ways of retaliation toward the security personnel using stones, slingshots with iron balls, tear gas shells and even automatic firearms, Herojit said.
Use of automatic firearms by agitators was evident last night also in Kakwa area and two bullet proof vehicles of Manipur Police were damaged.
Earlier one Inspector of Imphal East district police commando and one personnel sustained injuries on the intervening night of September 6 and 7 in burst firing by agitators during a riot control exercise.
Despite the attack upon its personnel, Manipur Police restrained themselves considering the safety of the public.
In order to control violent protests, security personnel are forced to engage in anti-riot exercise by using tear gas shells.
"But we feel deep pain when an innocent citizen sustains injury during such exercise.
It is very unfortunate that most of the agitators who are among unruly mobs are found out to be juveniles and people from far off places", the DIG (Range-I) said.
If the unruly mob continues violent protest in hyper sensitive zones, damaging public properties and attacking security personnel leading to breakdown of law and order, Manipur Police, as a law enforcing agency, will be compelled to take up anti-riot, anti-mob exercises, N Herojit said.
He appealed to the public to air their grievances or press their demands through democratic and non-violent forms of protest.
When protests were staged in democratic and non-violent manner some days back, security personnel did not fire a single tear gas shell even though the protest was staged in a hyper sensitive zone, he said.
He also appealed to the media to refrain from live streaming of mob dispersal or confrontation from the spot on social media as such live streaming makes the situation more alarming and invites more protesters.
Ksh Shivakanta, SP Imphal West said that more than 15 rounds of bullet hit his proof vehicle last night at Kakwa.
He said that he might have lost his life if he was not inside the bullet proof vehicle.
Despite the attack on the police vehicles with firearms, they restrained themselves by firing only tear gas shells toward the armed miscreants who ran and hid themselves among the public.
If the police responded to the attack with firearms, there might have been many injuries among the innocent public who were not even a part of the unruly mob/agitation, Shivakanta said.
He appealed to all concerned not to carry out such lethal attacks upon security personnel who are there for the safety of the public.
If such gun attacks continue from the side of agitators, then police might be forced to retaliate by opening fire one day and asked all concerned not to wait for that day.
Yesterday there was a report from the locals about pelting of stones at some houses by the mob for not opening their gates and they expressed deep concern for their safety.
Some Meira Paibis also came out and extended support to police in controlling the mob, and the protest ended peacefully in some areas, the Imphal West SP said.
The unruly mob seen at night is different from the protests staged during day time.
At night, agitators came out on the street after consuming alcohol, create unwanted scenes damaging private, public and Government properties, he said.
K Meghachandra, SP Imphal East said that use of lethal weapons like burst firing by unruly mob toward police personnel was witnessed in the last few days.
These agitators are also using womenfolk and children as human shields.
This is a very dangerous trend, he said.
If such lethal attacks continue and more and more police personnel sustain injuries, how long are they going to restrain themselves, he asked.
He appealed to the public not to let themselves be used as human shields by the vested interested persons who incited such unruly mobs.
Such unruly mobs and their violent actions should be stopped immediately else there will be repercussions, he said.
On the other hand, six persons were reportedly arrested by police in connection with last night's violent protest and they were taken into police custody for five days till 19 September after they were produced before a Duty Magistrate.
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