IMPHAL, Jun 9: Following reports of large number of passenger vehicles being stranded at Senapati and Mao due to the 24 hours total shut down imposed in all tribal areas by the JAC against anti-tribal Bills and Outer Manipur Tribal Forum (OMTF) in protest against use of excessive force towards tribal protesters at New Delhi a few days back, the Director General of Police LM Khaute has personally intervened to ensure that all the stranded passengers reach their respective destiny.
When contacted, DGP LM Khaute told The Sangai Express that he is personally intervening to ensure that the stranded passengers reach their destiny without any problem by requesting public leaders to allow free passage to passenger vehicles on humanitarian ground. Around a hundred passenger vehicles were escorted upto Sekmai at about 9.30 pm today.
The DGP also said that the Police Department sent additional force of ten commando teams including a company of police to escort the stranded passengers to Imphal. The passengers are expected to arrive here before midnight. Additional police personnel were sent in as backup to prevent any unwanted incidents. Khaute added that the public at Senapati and surrounding areas gave their fullest co-operation to the request of the police. Refreshments were also given to stranded passengers at Senapati ground by locals and the police, he said.
LM Khaute added that there were no reports of any untoward incidents in any parts of the State as of now. After a video of a non-local being harassed by four youths went viral on social networking sites, the police swung into action and four persons were pulled up, the DGP added. With the upcoming ten days long economic blockade, DGP LM Khaute urged people to refrain from indulging in any violent activities which could lead to disastrous consequences and disrupt peace and harmony among different ethnic communities.
Further, he stated that the people should avoid unnecessary violence and urged people to protest in a democratic and peaceful manner.
