Rights body concerned over increasing gun violence
Stringent gun license policy mooted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 11 2023: Expressing concern over the increasing cases of gun attacks in Manipur, the Youth's Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) has asked the State Government to carry out an in-depth scrutiny before issuing license guns to individuals and do a mental health check-up of police personnel regularly.

Speaking to media persons at Palace Compound, secretary of YFPHR T Shadishkanta Sharma said that the forum has been urging the State Government to take note of the gun violence happening in Manipur and prevent intimidation and harassment by license gun holders which has been in vogue since 2019.Saying that there, however, is no respite from gun violence in Manipur as many have died while others have been injured in gun attacks in the past few years, he claimed that many instances of gun attacks were reported even after all Deputy Commissioners in Manipur issued a notice to surrender the license guns in the run up to the recent Assembly elections.

Appreciative the SPs of Imphal East and Imphal West for taking up initiatives to prevent wielding of unauthorised guns and related violence during Bye-Bye and New Year celebration, Shadishkanta maintained that some people, however, have been victimised by police personnel using a service gun and license gun holders despite taking up stringent security measure recently.

He elaborated that a 50 year old woman was killed in a celebratory firing after the FIFA World Cup final match at Singjamei Wangrna Bheigyabati Leikai Kongba Road on December 18 last while another woman Moirangthem Jeemi was shot dead by a personnel of Manipur Police Telecom Organisation Kongkham Birjit at Pallel six days later (December 24).In another instance, an ASI at Manipur police Salam Deepak attempted to kill Haorokcham Thajamanbi on January 5, 2023 by firing three rounds, he claimed.

Asking where the State will head if the law enforcing officers continue to intimidate and harass civilians.

Shadishkanta said that more people will apply to get license guns and worsen the situation if they feel 'unsafe'.

It would be wise for the State Government to terminate the service of Government officials involved in gun violence, he said and added that there is also a need to educate police personnel on human rights and international laws and declaration during the training period.

He went on to state that issuing license guns to mentally unstable people would be disastrous.

Asking the Government to review the criteria for issuing license guns and do a mental health check-up of security forces routinely to mitigate instances of power abuse, the YFPHR secretary urged the Government to bear the medical expenses of Thajamanbi who was wounded by police personnel.

He also appealed to the State Government to establish a full-fledged Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) .

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