Arms snatching case : 6 sent to judicial custody
Scuffle breaks out in Court complex
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 20 2024:
Even as six persons arrested in connection with looting arms and ammunition from 5th IRB, Chingarel Tejpur on February 13 night have been sent to judicial custody, a scuffle broke out between protesters and security personnel at Cheirap Court complex here today.
Two persons including a cameraman of a local electronic media were injured in the scuffle.
The Registrar General of the High Court of Manipur came to Cheirap Court complex after the incident and talked with the lawyers present at the Court complex.
The six arrested persons were produced before the Court by a team of Lamlai police station after completion of police custody period along with a prayer for judicial custody remand.
In the meantime, the arrested persons filed separate bail applications through their counsel for releasing them on bail on the ground that they are all innocent.
Through a Special PP, the IO of the case submitted that the arrested persons were allegedly part of a mob which looted arms and ammunition from the 5th IRB located at Chingarel, Tejpur on February 13 .
The arrested persons are needed to be remanded in judicial custody for further investigation of the case as they are fully involved in the unlawful assembly, resulting in looting of arms and ammunition.
The Court, after hearing the submission of the Special PP, counsels of the arrested persons and on perusal of the materials on record, observed that the arrested persons appeared to be involved in the unlawful assembly and looting of arms and ammunition from the 5th IRB.
The Court then remanded all the six arrested persons in judicial custody till March 5 .
Treating the bail applications filed by the accused persons as regular bail applications, the Court fixed February 28 for bail objection and hearing.
The Court also directed the IO of the case to report and submit case diary on or before the next date without fail.
During the hearing of the case, a large number of womenfolk gathered at the Cheirap Court complex demanding unconditional release of the arrested persons.
The womenfolk claimed that the arrested persons are all innocent, and not a single arm or ammunition was seized from their possession.
The agitators intensified their protest inside the Court complex soon after learning that the arrested persons have been remanded in judicial custody.
Security personnel responded by closing the door of the Court building as well as the main entrance gate of Cheirap Court complex.
While the arrested persons were not taken out from the Court building, security personnel tried to drive out the protesters from the Court complex.
Later a large number of reinforcements from Imphal West district police, Imphal East district police and Rapid Action Force arrived on the spot to bring the situation under control.
The situation inside the Court complex became explosive after RAF personnel lathi charged and used electric batons against the agitating womenfolk, resulting in a scuffle.
Lawyers who were inside the Court complex raised their voice and protested against the RAF personnel lathi charging the agitating womenfolk inside the Court complex.
They also asked the RAF personnel to leave the Court complex.
The scuffle between agitators and security personnel continued for around two hours and the agitators even climbed on the 407 mini truck in which the arrested persons were brought to the Court.
Later, after clearing most of the vehicles parked inside the Court complex and pushing back the agitators for some distance, the arrested persons were brought out of the Court building.
They were then taken inside bullet-proof vehicles of police under tight security measures.
But agitators blocked the main entrance gate of Cheirap Court complex by sitting on the ground.
In order to clear the path, security personnel fired two smoke bombs toward the agitators.
Soon after clearing the road, the vehicles carrying the arrested persons sped away from the Court complex.
Soon after, another scuffle broke out between security personnel and agitators.
Two persons including a media person, a cameraman of TOM TV sustained injuries and they were evacuated for treatment at RIMS Hospital.
The injured media person has been identified as Naresh.
Lawyers present inside the Court complex also raised their voice against the security personnel for using smoke bombs inside the Court complex.
Speaking to the media persons, B Supriya, vice-president of AMBA strongly condemned the act of using smoke bomb and stun grenade by security personnel inside the Court complex.
She stated that AMBA would take up the matter with the higher authority so that such an incident is never repeated inside the Court complex.
The enraged womenfolk also announced that a 24-hour cease-work agitation will be imposed tomorrow.