Imphal, July 10 2010: Police today resorted in firing of tear gas shells and using other mob ammunitions in dispersing in blocking volunteers of All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) selling goods seized by them during drive against price hike and hoarding the items.

They also rounded up four volunteers the students's body including its president, Jamesbond Mangang.

The act of the police was strongly condemned by the Union and demanded unconditional release of the picked up volunteers.

Meanwhile, Senior SP, Imphal West said in a statement that the items were seized by the AMSU in illegal manner.

They were not arrested but detained for questioning and release after questioning.

The district police are appreciative of the AMSU sensitizing the public about the shortage of essential commodities, goods etc.

and the drive to unearth hoarding of some individuals.

However, the statement said, the district police cannot remain a mute spectator when they forcibly seized the goods from owners and announced open sale in AMSU office at the lost of the owners.

The statement alleged that the goods belong to Deepak Gupta and Mehender Prasad, both from Dharmasala.

Out of the seized items, 100 bags of rice was brought by Deepak from Kangpokpi for selling in mphal while 20 bags of rice and 6 packets of mustard oil wher brought by Mehendra from Ukhrul for selling in Imphaal.

AMSU volunteers seized the items from DM College road yesterday, the statement added.

In the morning today, as per announced by the AMSU, many people mostly from nearby locality, Thangmeiband converged at AMSU office at DM College Campus to buy the items to be sold there.

AMSU volunteers started selling the items at about 10 am.

They sold rice at the rate of Rs 17 per kg and allowed to buy five kg by an individual at one time.

Later, a team of Imphal West arrived there interfered in the process saying that they were not the authority to sell the items and asked the gathering people to leave the place and forced to stop the selling.

When the people rose up their voice against the police and demanded continuation of selling the items in which police had to resort in firing tear gas shells and mob smoke shells to disperse the people.

After dispersing the people, police rounded up four leaders of the Union including president Jamesbond Mangang.

Others included publicity secretary L Ramchandra, networking and coordination secretary of Imphal east Jaykishan and member of student volunteer committee.

Police also handed over the items to the owners.

Later, speaking to reporters, general secretary Alamgir said that AMSU has been doing the act considering the suffering of people when traders allegedly hoarded goods in their godowns and sold it at much higher prices taking advantage of the uncertainty in procurement of the items in the state.

They are distributing the items considering the suffering of the people, not in the interest of taking profit; he clarified and condemned the act of the police.

He also demanded immediate release of their leaders without any conditions.

AMSU volunteers conducting drives at godowns of the traders located had found hoarding the items and government failed to take up action against the hoarders.

Traders are selling goods at prices they fixed and government is remaining silent without taking up action against them even though people are suffering at the limit.

The prices of the goods are so high that it is beyond the affordable limit of the common people, they said strongly condemning the police excessive meted out to its volunteers while they are doing it in the interest of the people.

They alleged bureaucrat officers, ministers, MLAs colluding with the businessmen and traders in sucking blood of the common people.

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