IMPHAL, February 26: Conflicting claims have emerged regarding the alleged assault of some students who were returning after appearing their board exams by some VDF and commandos in Sugunu on Tuesday.
The new development in the case came up during a on the spot verification visit conducted by the Women Action for Development along with media persons.
The team had met with the students this morning where they recounted their side of the ordeal. On the return journey, the team were stopped by around 100 meira paibis of Sugunu recounting a different story.
Speaking to media persons accompanying the WAD team, Rathina Kanthuwn said she along with another friend had given their class X board exam at Sugunu High School.
A local elder HB Charningam who is a school management development committee member of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya along with another friend had come to pick them up.
She said she along with her friend was accompanied by one of her sisters.
On their way back in a Bolero, they made a quick stop at Sugunu Bazar, when a traffic police came and asked them not to park there, she said.
They moved a little further, however, the traffic personnel again asked them not to park there, which started a quarrel between the traffic police and Charningam.
During the ensuing quarrel, Charningam in self-defence hit the traffic police on his forehead at the same time, she grabbed the traffic police to intervene and end the scuffle, she said.
However, the traffic police hit her on her chest at which she fell down, she continued.
Meanwhile, a team of the Sugunu CDO arrived and assaulted Charningam for assaulting a police personnel on duty, she asserted.
The Cdo team arrested Charningam and charged him under FIR no 2(2) 2014 SGNPS U/S 307/325/353/441PC and was taken to Sugunu police while, the girls were released and admitted to the CHC Sugunu for treatment.
WAD meanwhile filed a complaint with the Sugunu police station against the Cdo team.
On the other hand, while the team was returning, a large number of Sugunu womenfolk numbering around 100 were seen waiting at the place where the incident occurred.
They charged that the confrontation occurred only because of the unruly behaviour of HB Charningam.
A woman who identified herself as Thambalsana Devi said the incident occurred around 12.30pm of February 24 at Sugunu bazar.
She said a white Bolero tried to stop at a busy part of the road, when a traffic police shouted that it was a no parking zone and not to park the vehicle there.
However, the Bolero driver came down and confronted the traffic police and an argument ensured, she continued.
The Bolero driver who was well built took the frail looking traffic police to the road side and headbutted him on his nose resulting in the traffic personnel bleeding profusely, she continued.
Following the quarrel, other came down from the Bolero. One of the girls tried to hold the driver and asked him to stop but the driver waved his hand at which the girl fell down following the confrontation, the locals called the police at which the police commandos came and tried to get hold of the driver, she said.
The local womenfolk took the girl who was injured after falling down to the hospital for treatment, she said.
She said the quarrel ensued because of the unruly behaviour of the bolero driver.