Police personnel injured in mob attack

From A Correspondent

THOUBAL | Sept 18

Charged mob attacked a team of Kakching police on September 16 at Sora Awang Leikai, while trying to rescue an Amaibi (Shaman), who had been kept detained by some villagers of Sora on charge of involvement in black magic.

Some police personnel sustained injuries in the attack and three police vehicles (Gypsy) were badly damaged. Police fired anti-riot shells and some blank rounds in the air to disperse the mob.

According police report, the police vehicles were blocked by an unruly mob of about 100 to 200 person including women, when they were coming towards Sora Bazaar on the way to Kakching police station.  The mob put boulders, wooden planks fixed with nails, etc. and they attacked the police team with deadly weapons including sticks, stones, spades, knives and slings etc.

It was charged that the rescued woman, an Amaibi (Shaman), was trying to harm Md. Nijamuddin son of Md. Najir Ali of Sora Awang Langejihoubi Leikai, A ZP candidate of Pallel GP, by using black magic.  

The amaibi, namely Sauba Bibi (38), wife of Zakir was allegedly moving around with her face covered while taking part in the election campaign of Md. Nijamuddin who was a candidate in the upcoming 5th Panchayati Raj elections, and later caught by his supporters for being acting in a suspicious manner. She was being detained by the villagers for questioning.  

Upon receiving the information, a combined team of Kakching police Station and CDO unit, Thoubal under the command of SDPO Kakching, Th. Deshorjit Singh rushed to Sora Awang Leikai and rescued her with the help of some villagers.

In the follow up action, combined team of Thoubal and Kakching distirct including CDO Unit Thobal and CDO teams of Imphal west and Imphal east let by SP Kakching and SP Thoubal conducted cordon and search operations at Sora Mamang Leikai on September 18 twice and arrested the accused persons Md. Rameezuddin (37), son of (L) Md. Babuthem of Sora Mamang Leikai, Thoibi alias Mumtaz Begum (44) wife of Badur Rahman of Sora Awang Leikai and Md. Aslam khan (22) son of Md. Nazir Ali of Sora Mamang Leikai.

Upon interrogation, it was revealed that they were involved in the attack on the police on September 16. The police informed that they will take up stringent actions against all the culprits who take law into their own hands, cause damage to government properties, give obstruction to the public servants and indulge in riot and mob violence.

The police further appealed to cooperate in delivering justice to the people and not to take law into their own hands.