IMPHAL, April 12: An angry mob stormed Heirok police station in Thoubal district on Thursday morning protesting against an alleged excessive conduct by some police personnel who beat up a band party and an autorickshaw driver who were returning from a ‘Thabal Chongba` severely.
Moirangthem Deepak (27), son of Shyamkishore, of Heirok Part 1 Heitupokpi reportedly sustained a major head injury in the incident while the others who sustained minor injuries have been identified as N Sanatombi (36), son of Irabanta; L Nongdamba (27), son of Shyamching; L Angangchaoba, (45), son of (L) Duhu; N Robin (30), son of Chaobi of the same locality and H Dev (29) , son of Ibotombi of Thounaojam and Thongjao H Keshorjit (38), son of Mohon of Thongjao.
Speaking to media persons, one of the injured L Nongdamba said that the incident happened when they (the band party) were returning home after playing at a Thabal Chongba at Irengband.
He claimed that when they reached a place adjoining Heirok and Wangjing, they were signaled to stop using a torch light by police personnel in plain clothes led by the second officer-in-charge (OC) Premjit of Heirok police station. As the police personnel were not wearing uniforms, the group thought at first that they might be some drunk people and so, they did not stop.
However, as soon as they realized that it was the police, they stop their autorickshaw. After stopping, the second OC Premjit who was in police uniform came to them and asked why they did not stop and started to beat up the auto driver Indrakumar and pushing him to a nearby drain.
Later, all of them were made to stand in a line by the police team who started hitting their heads with the butt of a gun one after another. One of the police personnel took out a stick from a nearby fence and thrashed them severely on their legs. The police also took away their mobile phones, he said.
He further said that one of them identified as Deepak started bleeding from his head after he was hit by the butt of a gun by the police personnel and was taken to CHC, Heirok by the Second OC who threathened the group not to disclose the matter to anyone.
During an interaction with the media, the injured also showed their injury marks.
Meanwhile, protesting against the excessive conduct by the police personnel, an angry mob stormed the Heirok police station on Thursday morning demanding befitting punishment to the police personnel who had allegedly beaten up the auto driver and the band party severely.
SDPO, Thoubal Lalboi Haokip came and calmed the protesters by promising them that the matter will be reported to the Superintendent of Police and that action will be taken up according to the wishes of the people.