Workers of BJP ticket seeker, ex-party MLA clash
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 11 2021:
Even though the 12th state assembly election is about half a year due, the state is witnessing poll related violence in some pockets amid the heightened election campaigning activities.
On Monday, a violent confrontation resulted in a worker of an intending candidate allegedly opening fire at Ningombam in Imphal West district.
According to local Meira Paibi leaders, the gunshots were fired by a worker of Soraisam Kebi, who seeking BJP ticket to contest from Naoriya Pakhanglakpa assembly constituency.
According to Ningombam Apunba Meira Paibi president Mutum Prabha, an election meeting was organised at the house of a Sadokpam family at Ningombam Awang Leikai on Monday.
On getting the information, Meira Paibi members along with local elders asked the family not to host the meeting since BJP ex-MLA S Subhaschandra from the locality is also running for the election.
They also told the family that it is their choice to support any candidate but organising election meeting in another candidate's locality might result in unwanted activities.
As the preparations for the meeting continued, Meira Paibi members and club volunteers went to Sadokpam family around 1 pm and asked them to cancel the meeting.
The situation turned into a heated argument and several police teams arrived in the meantime, who assured of stopping the meeting and asked them to return.
However, the meeting continued under the watch of police personnel.
In the meantime, several workers and supporters of Soraisam Kebi tried to enter the meeting venue but stopped by local youth and Meira Paibi members stating that the situation is volatile.
It turned into a violent confrontation and one of the workers of Kebi fired two rounds to intimidate the local residents.
As the local residents ran from there, the worker also pointed the sidearm on the head of two youths, who ducked in the drain, and threatened them.
They soon left the area after the local residents gathered, she said while noting that the police recovered the empty cases.
Condemning the act of using firearms amid the public and endangering their lives, she said that the public do not want such candidate, who cannot control their workers.
A joint meeting of Ningombam village will be held soon in this regard, Prabha added.
On the other hand, S Kebi said that large number of workers and supporters of ex-MLA Subhaschandra attacked her workers and pelted stones towards them.
Many workers suffered injuries and some vehicles damaged in the attack, she claimed.
Interacting with the media, Kebi said that the meeting was planned about a week ago and it was an exclusive meeting for her women workers.
The incident occurred when she along with her workers went to attend the meeting at Ningombam.
She got information about the ex-MLA's workers pelting stones at the house, where the meeting was planned, since morning and she did not go there considering the volatile situation.
However, her workers asked her repeatedly to come, to which she went there in the afternoon only to be attacked by the ex-MLA's workers.
As the police personnel present there could not control the situation, one of her elder brothers fired two rounds in the air to save themselves from the mob and retreated from there.
Stating that such violent confrontation can discourage those who are new in politics like her, Kebi appealed to the public to refrain from such violence and stand for truth, peace and development.
Election committee chairman S Chaoba said that ex-MLA's workers stormed Kebi and her workers when they reached the meeting venue at Sadokpam Khomba's house.
They attacked her and dismantled BJP flags.
Some of Kebi's workers got injured in the attack and one of the workers was brutally assaulted by Subhaschandra's workers.
The ill-fated worker was later rescued by police.
They also pelted stones at the house of Sadokpam Khomba and caused serious damages, he said while condemning the violent act.
Meanwhile, police source said that the mob was controlled by Singjamei police team along with additional force from the district police.
A suo moto case has been registered at Singjamei police station regarding the incident.
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