IMPHAL, Nov 20: A human rights activist has levelled charges against Manipur Police Commandos of mental harassment by visiting his home late night and summoning him to appear at the Commandos Complex (barrack).
Kshetrimayum Onil, lead coordinator, REACHOUT, an NGO working on sustainable peace and development in the armed conflict region of North East India, speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today said Manipur Police Commandos have harassed him and his family after a press release of his organization was issued to media on the case of the alleged kidnapping of a journalist who visited his house on November 17 to collect some materials related to human rights issues.
He said on November 17 Mangneo Touthang, an assistant editor of news magazine `Khohui,` came to his house to collect videos related to human rights work particularly on child soldier issues which he had done with a national news channel.
He said the journalist came to his residence around 4:30 pm on the day at Leirak Macha, Keisamthong Elangbam Leikai, Imphal.
Soon after he collected the video materials and after having tea left from my house at around 5 pm, Onil said.
However, according to some local residents, the journalist was abducted from his lane by some unknown persons, he said.
Immediately he went to the Imphal Police Station to file a complaint, he said.
The Officer-in-Charge enquired to his colleagues and after a short while informed him that the journalist is at commando complex at Minuthong.
The Officer-in-Charge also told him that he does not need to file a complaint as it is known that Mangneo Touthang is in commando barrack and moreover it is a `covert operation.`™
In this regard, he made a press statement on `journalist kidnapped by unknown persons` on behalf of his organization on November 18, he said.
On the same day at around 11 pm some police commandos in civil dress came to his house banging their gate hard and calling out his name several times.
He said when his elder brother went out to enquire the police commandos informed his brother that they wanted to make some query on some contacts from him and had asked him to visit the Commando Complex (barrack) at Minuthong at 7:30 pm on November 19.
Onil said by visiting a civilian residence late at night and shouting at the gates creates a psychological impact on young girls, women and old persons of his family.
`Moreover summoning someone at the Commando Complex (barrack) just for questioning is an illegal process. Commando barrack is not a police station it is for the security personal to lodge,` he said.
`I would be more than happy to co-operate if it is conducted according to the actual police code of conduct and decorum rather than calling someone in the middle of the night,` he said.
`It is something I take as a clear threat to my family and community,` he added.