IMPHAL, September 12: A day after the CCpur police reportedly filed an FIR against `unknown miscreants` on the Village Defence Force assault incident at CCpur District Hospital on September 10, KCP (Nongdren Khomba group) commander in chief Nongdren Khomba has come out with his version of the event.
The militant leader, who had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government on September 9 just one day ahead of the violent incident, told media persons that the incident of him assaulting a VDF personnel took place only after a VDF and some of his colleagues `misbehaved`, and claimed that one of his cadres was tied up and and physically assaulted.
Addressing the media at the Manipur Press Club, Nongdren Khomba said five of his cadres had gone to the hospital that day to check on one of their cadres who was admitted at the hospital.
Of the five, one remained at the gate, while another went to a pharmacy to clear off the dues for medicines. The remaining three had gone inside the hospital to clear the hospital fees, he claimed.
He further alleged that two to three VDF personnel came up to the cadre standing at the gate and inquired about his identification, however, even after the cadre provided the needed identification to the VDF personnel, they started harassing him and took him inside their barracks.
The VDF personnel without any instigation had after tying the cadre’s hand beat him up, he further alleged.
On getting information that one of his cadres was beaten up by the VDF, he along with some of his cadres rushed to the incident site, he said before adding that on reaching there he found his cadre being bound with ropes which angered his cadres leading to a flare up.
He further expressed that the outfit had no knowledge about the presence of the Health minister in the hospital during the incident.
The outfit will ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future, he assured.
Reiterating that the group did not lay down arms not because of fear, he said that the step was taken considering the wants of the general public.
In response to a reaction from a political party against the outfit on the incident, he said the reaction is unfortunate.
H Taibanganba general secretary of KCP (Lamphel), another MoU signatory group who was also present during the press conference urged the government to constitute a Joint Monitoring Group of the MoU at the earliest.