Lilong firing incident RPF condoles, gives detailed account
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02 2024: The proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has condoled the death of four individuals in a skirmish at Lilong last night.

While conveying solidarity to all the individuals who sustained injuries in the same skirmish, the outfit has come out with a detailed account of the incident.

According to a statement issued by the outfit's Assistant Secretary, Publicity Bangkim, a team of RPF's STAFORCE (Special Task Force) went to pick up notorious drug dealer Md Hassan s/o late Md Habibur from his Lilong Chingjao residence at around 8 pm yesterday.

It said that Md Hassan was warned earlier for dealing in drugs continuously.

As the STAFORCE team captured Md Hassan, some people of the locality rushed in and tried to snatch weapons from the team.

At first, the team tried to drive away the people by opening fire in the air.

But the group of people did not stop.

Left with no other option, the STAFORCE team left behind captured Md Hassan and ran out to save themselves.

As the team ran out, some people opened fire toward them.

In order to save themselves, the team fired back in the direction from which they were fired at and fled from the scene.

But the vehicles (Gypsies) of the STAFORCE team were set ablaze by the mob.

As the Gypsies were set ablaze, a number of ammunition, 40 mm grenades and 60 mm mortar shells loaded in the gypsies exploded, said the outfit.

Earlier RPF cadres were assaulted by a mob at Lilong on August 22, 1982 .

While some of the cadres managed to escape from the mob, one was lynched by the mob, it said.

Even then RPF did not seek retribution as per the party's policy of not targeting the masses.

Nonetheless, following this incident, the outfit issued a standing order to take defensive measures in such situations.

In compliance with the standing order, the STAFORCE team fired back in self-defence last night, the outfit clarified.

It alleged that the Government of India has been waging a 'proxy war' against the people of Manipur by flooding the State with intoxicating substances.

The State Government's War on Drugs is nothing more than a 'paper tiger'.

The State forces are powerless in the face of the Government of India's renewed proxy war which started on May 3 last year, it alleged.

The State Government's War on Drugs has no effect on the 'drugs politics' either sponsored by the Indian businessmen, tycoons, politicians and military forces or in which they are directly involved, the outfit further alleged.

It would be wrong to assume that smuggling of drugs has shifted to Mizoram, away from Manipur in the aftermath of the May 3 proxy war because drugs and other intoxicating substances are still available quite abundantly in Manipur, it said.

The RPF formed STAFORCE on July 7, 1998 with the main objective of freeing Manipur and her people from the scourge of drugs, it said.

A STAFORCE team went to pick up Md Hassan last night as a part its campaign against drugs, it added.

Comment