Imphal, Aug. 19: Protesters turned violent on the second day of the Apunba Lup-sponsored strike in Manipur as the state continued to remain shut in protest against the alleged fake encounter killing of Ch. Sanjit and Rabina Devi by police commandos.
Police this morning also arrested Sama Dewan and Memocha Devi, parents of 11-year-old Salam Bidyarani, who was taken away by police when she was alone at home on August 14. They were picked up from Phaobakchao in Imphal West.
Senior superintendent of police L. Kailun said Dewan and Memocha were supporters of the Peoples Liberation Army and arranged for shelter for its cadres and even hoarded arms and ammunition. A PLA member arrested from Thongju in Imphal East this morning tipped the police off on Dewan and Memocha.
After the couple confessed today, the police found two AK-series rifles, one lethod gun and bombs, hand grenades and ammunition from their fish farm at Nongmaikhong in Bishnupur district under Mayang Imphal police station.
On Salam Bidyarani, the police officer said on seeing the security personnel, the girl had fallen unconscious. As there was no one around to attend to her, the policemen took her, along with her two grandmothers, and admitted her to a private clinic at Mayang Imphal. The girl was discharged the next day. But as no responsible person came forward and the two grandmothers refused to take the girl away saying they were afraid of the security personnel in the village, they stayed at the police station along with a policewoman. “There was no question of arrest or detention of the girl,” he said.
Bidyarani is now in the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where doctors said she was suffering from “acute mental trauma”.
Earlier today, children’s rights activists rushed to Nongmaikhong village of Bishnupur district from where the police had picked up Bidyarani.
“We were shocked by the detention of a minor girl at a police station. We went to the village to investigate the case and see the mental and physical condition of the child. We will take whatever action that is necessary after studying the police action and condition of the child,” said Mala Lisam, centre coordinator of Imphal Childline.
“I was taken to the police station and kept there. I stayed with my grandmother Ningol at the police station. They did not do me any harm,” Bidyarani told the team.
Normal life was completely paralysed throughout the state for the second consecutive day because the strike called by Apunba Lup which ended at 5 this afternoon. Another strike called by Naga organisations — led by the United Naga Council in four Naga-dominated hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel — ended at midnight last night. The Nagas had called the bandh against an operation by Assam Rifles in Ukhrul district in which two NSCN (I-M) cadres were killed last week.
More protesters turned out on the streets on the concluding day of the Apunba Lup strike in the valley, burning tyres on highways, setting fire to effigies of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, his wife and MLA Landhoni Devi and director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh in various parts of the valley.
Strike supporters went on the rampage damaging several vehicles at Yumnam Leikai and Chingmeirong, both in Imphal West. They pelted stones and used clubs to target passing vehicles and two-wheelers.
The police burst teargas shells and exploded mock bombs to scare away the protesters in both the areas. There was no report of any injury.
Sit-ins were also held in many places in Imphal West and Imphal East.
The Ibobi Singh government has been maintaining silence over the increasing public ire against his inaction over the July 23 killings.
Though Ibobi Singh announced a judicial inquiry on August 5, the government is yet to find a high court judge for the probe. The suspension of seven police commandos involved in the city shootout could not calm the agitators.The protesters are demanding Ibobi Singh’s resignation, the dismissal of and prison terms for the commandos.
Police this morning also arrested Sama Dewan and Memocha Devi, parents of 11-year-old Salam Bidyarani, who was taken away by police when she was alone at home on August 14. They were picked up from Phaobakchao in Imphal West.
Senior superintendent of police L. Kailun said Dewan and Memocha were supporters of the Peoples Liberation Army and arranged for shelter for its cadres and even hoarded arms and ammunition. A PLA member arrested from Thongju in Imphal East this morning tipped the police off on Dewan and Memocha.
After the couple confessed today, the police found two AK-series rifles, one lethod gun and bombs, hand grenades and ammunition from their fish farm at Nongmaikhong in Bishnupur district under Mayang Imphal police station.
On Salam Bidyarani, the police officer said on seeing the security personnel, the girl had fallen unconscious. As there was no one around to attend to her, the policemen took her, along with her two grandmothers, and admitted her to a private clinic at Mayang Imphal. The girl was discharged the next day. But as no responsible person came forward and the two grandmothers refused to take the girl away saying they were afraid of the security personnel in the village, they stayed at the police station along with a policewoman. “There was no question of arrest or detention of the girl,” he said.
Bidyarani is now in the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where doctors said she was suffering from “acute mental trauma”.
Earlier today, children’s rights activists rushed to Nongmaikhong village of Bishnupur district from where the police had picked up Bidyarani.
“We were shocked by the detention of a minor girl at a police station. We went to the village to investigate the case and see the mental and physical condition of the child. We will take whatever action that is necessary after studying the police action and condition of the child,” said Mala Lisam, centre coordinator of Imphal Childline.
“I was taken to the police station and kept there. I stayed with my grandmother Ningol at the police station. They did not do me any harm,” Bidyarani told the team.
Normal life was completely paralysed throughout the state for the second consecutive day because the strike called by Apunba Lup which ended at 5 this afternoon. Another strike called by Naga organisations — led by the United Naga Council in four Naga-dominated hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel — ended at midnight last night. The Nagas had called the bandh against an operation by Assam Rifles in Ukhrul district in which two NSCN (I-M) cadres were killed last week.
More protesters turned out on the streets on the concluding day of the Apunba Lup strike in the valley, burning tyres on highways, setting fire to effigies of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, his wife and MLA Landhoni Devi and director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh in various parts of the valley.
Strike supporters went on the rampage damaging several vehicles at Yumnam Leikai and Chingmeirong, both in Imphal West. They pelted stones and used clubs to target passing vehicles and two-wheelers.
The police burst teargas shells and exploded mock bombs to scare away the protesters in both the areas. There was no report of any injury.
Sit-ins were also held in many places in Imphal West and Imphal East.
The Ibobi Singh government has been maintaining silence over the increasing public ire against his inaction over the July 23 killings.
Though Ibobi Singh announced a judicial inquiry on August 5, the government is yet to find a high court judge for the probe. The suspension of seven police commandos involved in the city shootout could not calm the agitators.The protesters are demanding Ibobi Singh’s resignation, the dismissal of and prison terms for the commandos.
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