'Assault on doctor': Personnel suspended, condemnations pour in
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 03 2021: A police constable and a VDF volunteer who were involved in assault on a doctor at Luwangsangbam yesterday night have been respectively placed under suspension and detached.

It may be mentioned that Dr K Soreingam, Asst Prof at JNIMS and his wife Dr K Lumthing RV a Gynaecologist at Catholic Medical Centre (CMC), were reportedly stopped by two police personnel on their way home at Luwangsangbam near Chief Minister's residence before the husband doctor was physically assaulted and threatened at around 8.15 pm.

Following the assault and 'life threatening' incident, Dr K Soreingam submitted a written complaint regarding the incident at the Heingang police station yesterday itself.

Subsequently, SP Imphal East, N Herojit Meetei acted promptly and detained four police personnel suspected to be involved in the incident.

The SP today issued different orders stating that one Constable, Collin Kshetrimayum of CDO Imphal East has been placed under suspension and one VDF volunteer, A Bouchard Meetei who was attached to Imphal East CDO unit has been detached.

In his complaint, Dr Soreingam stated that he and his wife were stopped by two police personnel while they were returning from CMC, Koirengei in a car at Luwangsangbam.

On being enquired by the personnel, he replied that they were returning home after his wife conducted an emergency operation at CMC, he stated.

But he was slapped twice by the personnel saying that he (Dr Soreingam) was disrespecting them and went on to ask from which hospital they were returning from, he stated.

Despite showing his ID card, the personnel asked whether they (the couple) were disrespecting them by claiming that they are doctors and threatened to 'kill' him by loading service rifle, the doctor stated.

The personnel also hit him with the rifle butt on his head, the doctor continued in the police complaint.

Meanwhile, All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), All Tangkhul Medico's Association (ATMA) and others have strongly condemned the incident and drew the attention of the State Government to take strong action against the involved police personnel.

ATSUM in a statement said that it was "very much shocked" to learn that one doctor identified as K Soreingam of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) was assaulted by police commando personnel at Luwangsangbam near the Chief Minister's residence while he was on his way back along with his wife K Lumthing.

"Even doctors on duty are not spared, just imagine what will happen to innocent civilians", said ATSUM while maintaining that many similar cases might have gone unreported by civilians.

While strongly condemning the "high handedness of the security personnel" on duty, ATSUM demanded that all those involved be strictly disciplined and be given the appropriate punishment by the law of the land.

"We are neither in the Tatmadaw regime of Myanmar nor in the Taliban regime of Afghanistan.

We respect the night curfew but curfew cannot stop people who are in medical emergencies", the tribal student body added.

ATSUM also demanded the Home Department to instruct all its officers to educate their security personnel how to respect and behave with the civilians.

"They should also make them understand that security personnel are for the safety and security of the civilians," it added.

ATSUM further added that the officers should also make their staff understand that their sleepless night duty on the road is for the safe passage and security of the civilians on the road with emergencies in the middle of the night and not to terrorise the civilians.

TKS public relation , information and publicity secretary Wungchuiso Huileng, in a press statement said that the student body is saddened and furious over the barbaric act and atrocities committed upon innocent civilians frequently Dy the State security forces at different occasions hurting the sentiment of the public at large.

TKS also urged the competent authority to ensure justice to the victims and at the same time award befitting punishment to the security personnel involved in harassing them.

The All Tangkhul Medico's Association (ATMA) also strongly condemned the undisciplined action of few Manipur police personnel for physically and verbally assaulting Dr K Soreingam and his wife Dr K Lumthing Ruivah yesterday night at Luwansangbam, Imphal East while returning from duty from CMC Hospital Koirengei, where the wife Dr K Lumthing Ruivah works full time as consultant.

ATMA, in a press release, highlighted that Dr K Soreingam was butted with service rifles and was threatened to be murdered by loading service rifles by the police personnel in addition to the verbal assault.

The abuse meted out to medical personnel by the service personnel is spiteful, it said while calling upon the Government for immediate and strong disciplinary action on the accused so as to inspire confidence in people and bring repute to the Government and the police force.

The Teachers' Association of JN Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal also expressed shock over the incident and strongly denounced the violent assault meted out to the doctor couple.

The association, while condemning the act, appealed to the State Government to take appropriate and exemplary action against the erring and barbaric security personnel.

Catholic Medical Centre (CMC Hospital), Koirengei too condemned the behaviour of police personnel at the strongest term.

In its condemnation note, it highlighted that Dr K Soreingam came to pick up Dr Lumthing RV, a Gynaecologist of the CMC Hospital, who conducted an emergency operation at the hospital before the incident took place at around 8.15 pm.

While condemning the assault and verbal abuse to the doctors, the management of Catholic Medical Centre also requested concerned authority to take appropriate action against those involved personnel.

It also urged the authority to ensure that such an incident is not repeated to any doctors and staff of the hospital in the future.

Joining in the condemnation, the Imphal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society also denounced the barbaric physical assault of Dr K Soreingam, husband of Dr Lumthing RV (Gynaecologist) while they were coming back to home after an emergency operation at CMC by the police personnel in spite of identifying themselves with proper documents.

"It is a matter of utmost shame that two innocent frontline healthcare workers were attacked in such a vicious manner.

The brash callousness exhibited towards the doctors is not just a dismissible misdemeanour but an unforgivable act of transgression," the Imphal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society said in a statement.

It also appealed to concerned authority to administer strict punishment to those culprits and ensure such incidents never recur.

The All Naga Doctors' Forum, Manipur (ANDFM) also strongly condemned the alleged assault on doctors by police yesterday night and demanded disciplinary action against those personnel involved in the incident within 48 hours.

Failure to take action against the personnel may spark forms of protest, said ANDFM in a statement.

The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), while strongly condemning the alleged assault of a doctor by police, has urged the concerned authority to initiate an exemplary punishment against the perpetrators.

In a statement, ANSAM said that it condemned the "sheer high handedness and barbaric act of Manipur police commandos" against Dr Soreingam.

"Notably, the incident took place in front of the Chief Minister's residence on September 2 at around 8.15 pm.

Such an act of physical assault with a loaded service rifle butt on the head of Dr Soreingam is highly unacceptable and it amount to attempt to murder," ANSAM said.

It further said that the police atrocity against civilians in this modern era is highly unacceptable and it reflects the image of the entire State, it added.

ANSAM also said that it is "very shameful" on the part of the entire "uniformed community" in the State that such heinous atrocities have been meted out to a medical doctor when the entire world is honouring them for their extraordinary service during this pandemic.

ANSAM expressed its sympathy and solidarity with Dr Soreingam and family.

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