Imphal, August 07: Scores of court arrest agitators sustained injuries, including a youth who was hit by a reflected bullet during confrontation with security personnel witnessed at different parts of the State today.

A Sub-Inspector of Imphal West District also sustained injuries when protestors pelting stone at security personnel in retaliation for foiling agitation.

At around 11 am, about 500 people gathered at Mayang Imphal Thongkhong Luxmi Bazar with the intention of launching mass court arrest agitation at Wangoi Police Station.

As the processionists started advancing towards the police station, a large force of Imphal West District police led by Inspector N Lokhon stopped them from proceeding further with rubber bullets and tear gas shells.

Even as the police managed to drive them off to a safer distance, the infuriated protestors retaliated with stones and catapults assault.

Later police arrested two youths on alleged charge of attacking security personnel with stones.

The security troops were coming towards Shamurou Bazar after bringing the situation under control at Thongkhong Luxmi Bazar when they encountered angry protestors who were on court arrest agitation near Imphal Barrage at Oinam Sawombung Lamkhai.

Stone throwing agitators which included sizable number of young school children engaged the security personnel in a pitched battle prompting the security personnel to blank fire in addition to bursting several rounds of tear gas shells, smoke bombs and rubber bullets.

CDO of Imphal West District Police SI Kishorchand was hit by a stone at his chin during the melee.

The security personnel also pulled up one person for the stone attack.

After the Oinam Lamkhai incident, the security personnel were proceeding to- wards Mayang Imphal on hearing of a similar unrest when they came across around 250 youths taking out a rally near Leishangkhong.

The rallyists were on their way to Wangoi Police Station to launch court arrest agitation there.

On seeing the security personnel, the youths started shouting slogans daring the security personnel to arrest them.

The security personnel who were already under the heat from the previous confrontation used force to disperse them and even resorted to blank firing to keep the marauding agitators at bay.

In reply to police action, the agitating youths pelted stones and released catapult missiles on the security personnel.

The confrontation lasted for almost 1 hour till the situation was brought under control at about 3 pm.

A youth identified as L Santosh was hit by a reflected bullet allegedly fired by the security personnel.

At Mayang Imphal too similar confrontation between the security personnel and the court arrest agitators who were advancing towards Mayang Imphal police station ensued around the same time.

More than 15 persons including two advisors of All Ma-yang Imphal Clubs' Orgn sustained injuries in the police action.

At Sekmai, violence erupted in front of Sekmai police station today with police using force against womenfolk daring to court arrest them by blocking the National Highway 39 for more than two hours.

Responding to the mass court arrest agitation call of the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup spear heading the ongoing movement for withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from Manipur, hundreds of slogan shouting womenfolk virtually laid sieged of Sekmai Police Station and blocked traffic along the National Highway 39 stretch for more than two hours.

Police personnel forcefully put them in a truck and later brought them to the unused Koirengei airfield where they were routed with tear gas shells and rubber bullets.

Four activists of North Imphal United Clubs and Meira Paibees Organization, who took part in the agitation, were detained by the police along with the jeep (MN1A-3174) they were driving.

The detainees are identified as Oinam Herojit, M Tomba, Rabi and Bocha who was driving the jeep.

A large number of students of Singjamei Girls� High School along with women activists of Singjamei Naorem Leikai Yaiphakol Meira Paibi Lup, Women�s Economic Association, Women�s Welfare Association, Langthabal Kunja today allowed themselves to be court arrest at Singjamei Police Station.

Even as the agitators were being taken into custody by the police, a large number of rallyists proceeded from Singjamei Bazar to launch court arrest agitation at the same police station.

Police use force to disperse them from advancing farther.

At Yaiskul, police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse women protestors who took out a rally against delay in lifting of AFSPA today.

Undaunted by the police action, the womenfolk converged once more and staged a sit-in-protest demonstration at Moirangkhom.

Decrying used of unparliamentary language on the women protestors by security personnel, the agitating womenfolk have also resolved to close Yaiskul road under Ward No.14 to all pedestrians and vehicular movement for 48 hours with effect from midnight today.

Around 30 activists of Nambol Joint Action Committee yet again launched court arrest agitation at Nambol Police Station this afternoon.

Out of the 30 agitators police detained 10 male youths and set the others free.

Yesterday also, JAC members along with local Meira Paibis had launched similar agitation at the police station.

Comment