Muslim bodies mull general strike options
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 04 2014: Demanding that police commandos responsible for grievously wounding 18-year old Nongjaimayum Rushdie Ahamed Shah alias Boicha be pulled up and punished or Government of Manipur settle the matter with the JAC formed in connection with the shooting of the school boy, Muslim organisations cautioned that not honouring the demand will constraint the bodies to enforce general strike.

Speaking on behalf of the Muslim organisations at Manipur Press Club today, All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation president Md Farid Khan said Rushdie Ahamed, a class XI science student was pulled up by a commando team of Imphal East district from near Orient Hotel in Hatta area at around 2.15 pm of April 22 .

Rushdie Ahamed, a student of Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, is presently in the ICU ward of Shija Hospital where he underwent surgical operation due to chest injury suffered in firing by one of the commando personnel.

After interrogation at the police station Rushdie was taken to Lamlong Bazar where the commando team dragged him down from the vehicle and opened fire resulting in a bullet hitting the boy at the chest portion and penetrating through the back, claimed Farid adding that the commandos initially took him to JNIMS Hospital before being brought to Shija Hospital from RIMS Hospital.

Contrary to the police commandos admitting that the incident was a case of mistaken identity stationing of commando personnel to maintain vigil on rushdie at Shija Hospital amounts to harassing the youth and detainment of an accused person, he observed.

The student activist also demanded that the issue be settled within four days failing which general strike would be enforced from the next day to protest indifferent attitude of the Government.

Joining the media briefing, Rushdie's father Md Hamid Ali shah recounted that on the particular day his son went to Hatta in a Maruti Alto car (MN01X/9338) registered in the name of his daughter.

detaining Rushdie on the false charge of vehicle theft the police commandos also seized the boy's mobile phone, subjected to intense interrogation, taken to Lamlong Bazar with the hands tied, assaulted and asked to run before being fired upon, alleged the father while contending that the commando personnel proposed that the incident be hushed up as it was accidental firing.

Even as Rushdie is fighting for life at the hospital an FIR was lodged at Imphal East police station on April 25 followed by formal complaints to the SP concerned and DGP on April 30 for there was no positive response to the first complaint, he said.

Representatives of Muslim organisations such as AMMOCOC, MSUM, and UMMWD were also present during the media briefing.

Comment