IMPHAL, October 11: Local Clubs and Meira Paibi bodies of Keirao including Irilbung Library Union, Nongpok Ningthou Panthoibi Development Committee, Keirao bitra and Nupishingi Shemgat Shagatpa Lup Keirao have condemned the arrest of an innocent local youth and hunting for a civilian youth identified as `Ajit` by a gang of armed men suspected d to be security force personals.
A statement jointly issued by Nupishingi Shemgat Shagatpa Lup Keirao president N Lata Devi and Irilbung Library Union said that a gang of armed men suspected to be security force personals who were coming in civil dress in a Maruti Gypsy sans number plate (white colour), on October 7, abducted a local youth identified as Takhellambam Kokngangbi, 28 years S/o T Joy of Keirao Awang Leikai from the Irilbung Bazar suspecting him to be one `Ajit` whom they were hunting for. After verification, the boy was released on the same day.
The release said that Ajit whom the suspected armed men were hunting for abduction is an innocent mason, bread earner of the family. He has no any nexus with any underground outfits. The effort to arrest Ajit might be the handiwork of those wicked people having personal enmity with Ajit, it said.
The incident has caused both mental and physical harassment to the innocent youth and his family, it further said.
The release further said clubs and Meira Paibi organizations of Keirao appealed to those concerned not to recur such incident in future.
If they have any suspicion about the boy, local Meira Paibi and clubs are ready to extend help. However, those armed suspected security men should not manage to arrest the boy, it warned.
Regarding the repeated harassment meted out to the Keirao locals by the armed men, a meeting of the lo local clubs and Meira Paibi organizations held on October 8 at the office of the Irilbung Library Union Keirao bitra minutely discussed the matter and unanimously resolved to condemn the harassment perpetrated by the suspected SF men.
Expressing suspicion that the effort to arrest Ajit was carried out by armed SF men based on false information, it appealed to the government and concerned top ranking security officers to investigate into the matter and take up befitting action against the those armed men coming in a vehicle without number plate.
Stating that every vehicle used by the security forces must have a logo or number mandatorily identifiable to the general public, the release said that the armed men coming in a Gypsy without number plate is against the existing rules. If the government authorizes such free movement of the security forces in vehicle without number plate or logo will continue killing innocent civilians in fake encounters and forced disappearances.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/keirao-locals-claim-harassment-by-suspected-armed-sf/