Police outpost burnt, Kakching OC and escort held captive by agitators
IMPHAL, November 24: Violence erupted in 44-Yaithibi Loukon over the government`™s decision to construct a sports university in the area, injuring several police personnel with one of them reported to be in a critical condition. Agitators also belittled reporters of two media houses and barred them from taking pictures.
The JAC formed by the affected land owners had organised a massive rally earlier in the day decrying the government`™s decision to acquire land in the area for the proposed sports university, which was dispersed by the police firing tear gas shells.
However, the police action only fanned the ire of the agitators. The agitators attacked a police outpost at the unfinished building of the Sora High School, Sora Chingjin.
The mob ran amok in the police barrack setting ablaze several properties including three two-wheelers parked in the barrack.
Continuing to attack the police, the mob then overpowered the Kakching OC B Rishikesh Sharma and three of his escort personnel. The three are identified as constable no 0908024 M Puninkanta son of Ingobi of Tentha, constable number 0908289 M Shanta son of Maimu of Thoubal Khekman and constable no 0908166 L Sanjay son of Brojen of Thoubal Kiyam Siphai.
While, the OC managed to escaped, the three were later released by the agitators following intervention of high raking police and civil officers. Puninkanta and Shanta are getting treatment at the Shija hospital with the latter said to be in a critical condition.
According to locals at the incident site, villagers of Sora, Langthabal, Laiching Minou and other villages converged at Sora Keithel to take out a rally at Sora and other neighbouring villages demanding the government to stop the proposed construction of the sports university at Yaithibi Loukon and to construct it somewhere else.
They headed towards Langthabal from Sora Keithel sloganeering `Save agricultural lands, Save Manipur` and `No food, No sports`.
Further according to the locals, around 11:30am, police intervened and stopped the rally near the Lousi Pat Khongjao area, citing that the rally cannot continue without a proper permit from the concerned authorities. The police personnel were two teams of the Thoubal Cdo who had recently opened an outpost at the unfinished school building of Sora High School on November 12.
This resulted in a confrontation between the agitators and the police, following which the latter fired tear gas shells to control the agitators.
They said the agitators replied by throwing stones and using catapults.
In the meantime, some of the agitators attacked and set ablaze all five rooms of the outpost after surrounding the police personnel guarding their outpost.
The agitators then ran wild setting properties ablaze including three personal vehicles of the police personnel, according to the locals.
The vehicles include a Honda Pleasure belonging to the OP commander from Pallel ASI M Nimaichand, a new Bajaj Pulsar of constable Md Nasir of Lilong and a Hero Honda of a VDF Y Buddha of Thoubal Athokpam. The windshields of a Santro car belonging to a Cdo Y Amarjeet were also broken by the agitators.
The temporary outpost had two teams of Thoubal Cdo, seven Manipur Rifles personnel and 15 VDF personnel with six rifles issued.
Later, Manipur Fire Service, Thoubal tankers arrived and controlled the fire at the police outpost.
Additional police forces were called-in; however, as many were already deployed at Thoubal Athokpam for a visit of the Chief Minister and along the Imphal-Moreh highway to check the highway bandh, their arrival at the scene were delayed.
Meanwhile, the Kakching OC and his escort team coming to control the agitators were overpowered and held captive instead by the agitators near the Sora Chingjin.
On the other hand, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators and reach Sora Chingjin and arrested five protestors.
Meanwhile, additional police force led by additional SP (L &O) Thoubal Orjit, additional SP (ops) Dr S Ibomcha and M Madhunimai, Thoubal Cdo OC Anandkumar arrived at the spot and stopped hostilities from both sides.
Searching for the missing police personnel, the police officers were trying to contact the Sora community leaders, when the captured OC managed to flee from the agitators and reach his station.
Meanwhile, another enforcement led by additional DG LM Khoute, Thoubal DC T Ranjit, SP Thoubal Radheshyam, SDO Kakching Th Charanjeet arrived and met with the community leaders for the release of the three police personnel in their captivity.
Around 2:30pm, Puninkanta and Shanta were brought till Sora Chingjin in a van; however, the third escort personnel Sanjay and the government issued weapons of the police personnel were still with the agitators.
Later, around 5pm, the agitators handed over Sanjay and the issued weapons to the police after DIG range III, Dr S Ibomcha also arrived and met the community leaders.
Meanwhile, the agitation disrupted traffic along the highway for several hours today.