IMPHAL, January 24: The BJP Manipur Pradesh has demanded a probe into the death of a minor in police firing yesterday evening.
Talking to the media at a press meet at the BJP office in Nityaipat Chuthek, the State BJP president Thounaojam Chaoba said that the death of the boy in police action while taking part in agitations demanding the expansion of the stretch from Lilong to Waithou along the national highway No-2 was unfortunate.
The bandh was imposed due to the prolong negligence of the government in developing the road stretch and the suspicion of the people that the national highway might be diverted to another place after the new alignment of the Trans-Asian Highway Number 2 which is connecting south-east Asia with India, Chaoba said.
Adding that the Central government has taken a survey for widening 75 feet on both sides of the highway but the process was yet to start, he said even though the tender has been issued for widening the road in the area, people started the agitation after hearing a rumour that the new alignment will shift the highway to some other place.
As per reports, a student not involved in the agitation was killed after being tortured inside a police vehicle in yesterday`™s police action, Chaoba said, adding the incident of the local MLA and Agriculture minister Nasir using foul language to the public was unfortunate.
He said the Muslim boy identified as Md Llyas Khan, 12 years, son of Jakir Hussain of Lilong Chingkham Maning was killed in excessive police action that also left three persons and a five-year-long boy injured. The death of the student while returning from his tuition centre is a serious crime violating Juvenile justice laws under the Indian constitution, he added.
This incident is highly condemnable and the State BJP demands a judicial inquiry, Chaoba said, comparing it to the Khwairamband incident in which Rabina and Sanjit were killed in broad daylight.
This only point to the failure of law and order in the State because during the last three days, a series of bomb blasts have also rocked Imphal, he added.
Core Committee member of BJP, Tiken said a BJP team witnessed the situation in Lilong today, asking whether the present government still has the moral authority to rule the State and what is its intention in creating a mess in Lilong.
Questioning the government why precautions were not taken even after the agitators have set a deadline for launching a bandh in the NH-2 before, he blamed the government of negligence for leading to the awful incident in which the student was killed.