Protest against killing affects life
Imphal Apr 18 MNS/UNA: Police had a hard time on Thursday to disperse protestors at Muslim dominated areas who came out on the streets and resorted to violent activities by torching and smashing vehicles for allegedly defying general strike imposed in protest against killing of a Muslim youth at Yairipok of Thoubal district on April 12 last.
Police resorted to firing rubber bullets, tear gas shells and mob dispersion bombs at various Muslim dominated areas of Imphal. At least two persons including a minor boy were injured in the police action to disperse the agitators from blocking the roads at various places.
The violent protest showed its worst site when strike supporters not spared vehicles belonging to the media persons going to cover the general strike.
A cameraman of the ANI News Agency, Mongyamba Chenglei, who went to cover the news, was stopped by some strike supporters at Minuthong in Imphal and smashed his Activa brand scooter even though he produced his identity card around 10.30 am.
At around the same time another vehicle of a reporter identified as Devchandra of Poknapham was also attempted to smash by the strike supporters while he stopped for taking photograph of the protestors blocking the road at the same area.
The strike supporters smashed two more vehicles, one at Sora of Thoubal district and another at Porompat of Imphal East district for violating the general strike.
They further ransacked some hotels at Hatta Minuthong area which were found open during the general strike. A hotel was burnt down by the agitators for providing shelter to the police personnel at the same area.
Around 11.30 am they forced to stop a NV brand scooter and burnt it down in front of Public Hospital, Hatta. Police personnel from Imphal East district detailed their fired several rounds of tear gas shells and mob bombs to disperse the agitators in the air to control the mob.
At Khabeisoi area of Imphal East district, several Muslim youths came out in the streets with deadly sticks and started vandalizing the passerby in the area.
During the general strike a 40 years old lady who was walking with an umbrella along with her friend near Sainik School was hit at her chest by a bullet which penetrate through the umbrella. The incident happened at around 10.30 am when the police are firing in the air to disperse the strike supporters at Khabeisoi area.
However, the origin of the bullet could not be curtained. At Phoudel in Yairipok area police fire several rounds of gun shots including mock bomb and tear gas shell until 3 pm to disperse the violent bandh supporters.
Around 9 am strike supporters at Sora area in Thoubal district set ablaze a passenger diesel auto transporting a patient to Imphal. Various other vehicles were also vandalized by the strike supporters.
At Lilong area the strike supporters did not even spare vehicles belonging to police commando. Report said that a Gypsy vehicle of the Manipur Police commando was vandalized by large number of male and women agitators.
The general strike called in protest against government inaction towards booking the culprit(s) involved in the killing of a Muslim youth was almost total in all the Muslim inhabitant area of the four valley districts as various Muslim organisation were supporting it.
Twenty-five year old Md Sana, a resident of Yairipok Khoirom Leikai, was found charred to death in a kitchen of a house of a neighbouring village on the night of April 12 last. The house was set afire by a mob when the family members informed the villagers by shouting that a robber entered their house which the people came to know it was a lair to cover an illicit activity of a woman member of the family.
A JAC formed in connection with the death of Sana had on Wednesday announced to intensify the general strike which has been imposing in the state since Monday without a good response from the public.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/protest-against-killing-affects-life/
