IMPHAL, July 16: Vehicles parked along the roadside of Paona Bazar had their worst day today as a police team went on rampage and destroyed windshields and sideglasses of at least 20 vehicles allegedly for violating traffic rules and regulations.
In the wake of today’s incident, all the shops and business establishments opened in Paona Bazar including those along the Governor’s Road have closed their shutters for the day which is most likely to continue till tomorrow.
Around 8.30am this morning, a police team led by Imphal West SDPO, Madhunimai carried out a massive drive against vehicles parked illegally along the roadside Paona Bazar area.
The drive continued till 12 noon during which the police team broke windshields and side-glasses of several vehicles, both four and two wheelers. Some of the vehicles were either deflated or made to fallen on the ground.
According to some eyewitnesses, the police team even beat up some of owners of the vehicles and drivers allegedly for voicing their opposition to the law enforcers.
The team was later joined by another police team led by DSP (Traffic) Victoria who too was seen involved in deflating tryes of some vehicles parked illegally.
It may be recalled that a recent order of the state government had prohibited parking along the roadside of the streets in Imphal city area in the wake of government’s action banning street vendors in Khwairamband bazar.
Despite the government order vehicles continue to parked along the roadeside and today’s police action was the first incident which draw much opposition from the shop owners and business community.
A shopowner told this reporter of the IFP, the police team could had took up their action as per the traffic rules and regulations, but it was excessive as their is no rules and regulations that that windshiels and side-glass of a vehicle parked illegally should be broken or drivers of such vehicles should be beaten up.
The police could have taken up action as per the law like drawing TR from defaulters or pulling up the illegally parked vehicles by crane and fined as per the law, the shopowner said adding today’s police action was against the norms of traffic rules and regulations.
In protest against the police action, all the shops and business establishments located in Paona Bazar area including those in the Governor’s road downed their shutters for the day after brief opening in the morning.
The shutdown is likely to continue till tomorrow as shop owners are totally against the government’s action.
Later, speaking to reporters in a hurriedly called press conference at Manipur Press Club, some shop owners of Paona Bazar lamented government’s action to completely ban parking in Imphal city area.
Speaking to reporters a shop owner namely Bhimo Mangang voiced his strong opposition to today’s police action saying there is no traffic rules and regulations that police should broke windshield and side-glass of vehicles parked illegally.
While stating that today’s police action had frightened people who came to purchase goods at Paona Bazar area, Bhimo while condeming recent order banning parking in Imphal city area demanded that government should take up action to allow vehicles to be parked at least for few minutes so that people can purchase their goods.
Bhimo also appeal concern authority not to allow Diesel Autorikshaw to ply along the main street of Paona Bazar citing reason that this particular passenger vehicle create pollution apart from creating jammning traffic.
lawless.wild west style