Rights bodies across India slam detention of ILP activists
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 16 2014:
Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisation (CDRO), a joint body of 18 rights organizations based in different states across India, has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of ILP activists in Manipur by the state government since September 8 last.
In a statement signed jointly by its Coordinators C.Chandrasekhar (Andhra Pradesh), Paramjeet Singh (Delhi), Parmindar Singh (Punjab), Phulendro Konsam (Manipur) and Tapas Chakraborty (West Bengal), CDRO said the Manipur police, apart from vandalizing the office of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), picked up 12 ILP activists on September 8 last, following altercation between students' wing of JCILPS and Yengkhom Devson, brother of Additional SP Mrs..YVictoria.
Devson was reportedly beaten by the activists of the JCILPS after he allegedly misbehaved using harsh words to the activists, said the release and continued that the Additional SP Victoria rushed to the JCILPS office to rescue her brother.
Instead of controlling the situation, she along with a team of police commandos vandalized the office and arrested 12 rights activists by misusing her power, added the release.
CDRO also condemned the arrest of 5 activists on September 11 by Manipur police and labeling of the charges of arson on SDC and PHC buildings located at Bashikhong.
It further said the Manipur police continued to conduct raids and arrested 20 more activists including elderly women and students on September 12 .
The release alleged that the police action clearly indicated existence of a 'police raj' under the suzerainty of the Manipur government.
In its release, CDRO demanded release of the arrested activists, withdrawal of AFSPA and ending of police raj at once.