IMPHAL May 19: A 45-year old has alleged NSCN (IM) cadres of thrashing him black and blue on May 18.
The man identified as Daniel Lungleng, 45 son of L Maraotho and Latheola from Challou Village, Ukhrul district is presently getting treatment at a private hospital here in Imphal.
Daniel has identified two of his assaulters as Ringphami of Pui and Ningmi of New Tusom.
Speaking to media persons from his hospital bed, Daniel said he has been actively helping in the election campaign of his brother-in-law Shimreingam A Shimray who is the Congress candidate from Chingai constituency for the upcoming Autonomous District Council election.
Further recounting his ordeal, he said, `On May 18, around 7:30am, I was hiring a Bolero jeep at Wino Bazar to return to Chingai, when these three NSCN (IM) cadres came in civil attires and held me at gun-point.`
`They put me in their Gypsy and drove off. After some time, a little ahead of Phungreitang, they changed vehicles and took me to an isolated area near a private farm house at Ikun Road` he continued.
`There they identified themselves as NSCN (IM) cadres and claimed that I had Rs 4 lakhs in my possession to be used in my brother-in-law`™s election campaign.`
`They then started demanding me to hand over the said amount to them, at which I repeatedly told them that I have no such money with me, nevertheless, two of them started hitting me with clubs` Daniel said.
`Later on they demanded to give them Rs 50000 and even threatened me with dire consequences if I don`™t pay them the amount` he recalled.
Further according to Daniel, after they thrashed him all over his lower torso, they finally decided to go to the candidate`™s house.
On reaching Shimreingam A Shimray`™s house, they found both the candidate and his wife missing and so they dragged him to the NSCN (IM)`™s regional office and Phungreitang, Daniel continued.
He further said he was released around 2 in the afternoon only when some of his family members came to the NSCN (IM) regional office.
However, the cadres demanded him to bring at least Rs 15,000 at the earliest or that he would be picked up again soon, he said.
He said since he was suffering much pain and getting weak, he was brought immediately to Imphal for treatment.
Daniel also pleaded that `The government should ensure that citizens are not intimidated tortured and traumatized in this manner by the non-State actors.`
Daniel sustained bruised marks all over his lower torso starting from his waist.
He complains of pain all over his body.