Barricades near RIMS pulled down
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 23 2024:
Barricades installed by the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) on the northern approach road to its mortuary were dismantled by womenfolk of Lamphel Khunou today.
The road, which the womenfolk said is the "only" route, was blocked by the RIMS authority by installing the barricades.
The road traverses through the Mortuary Gate and then to the RIMS Main gate.
A large number of womenfolk thronged the road at around 10 am today and dismantled the barricades.
Lamphel Khunou Meira Paibi secretary Karam Chaoba Devi said the road has been the centre of many confrontations.
On September 5, 2014, the Court allowed the road to be used by the RIMS authority and for religious rituals and domestic work by the public.
During COVID-19 pandemic, the then Director closed the road and people were forced to use a road near the mortuary, she said.
Then a new RIMS Director came and installed barricades and shut the road using security, she claimed.
"While the Court on February 16 recently had ordered the RIMS authority not to cause any hindrance to public movement on the road, defying the order, it again blocked the road to public movement.
This had angered the locals to dismantle the barricades," Chaoba said.
Meanwhile, Manipur Security Services, in a statement has alleged that its security personnel didn't violate the ruling of the High Court.
It claimed the security personnel were performing their duties following the instruction of the RIMS Director.
Due to the prevailing situation in Manipur, and for the safety of the medical students from outside Manipur, a signboard was put up informing "only the public of Lamphel Khunou would be allowed to use the road" .
However, the people of Lamphel Khunou tore the signboard and dismantled the barricades, it claimed, asserting that the Court's order had been violated by the people.