IMPHAL, May 8: Heirok locals enraged over the failure of the government and local MLA to respond to their repeated demands for suspension of Heirok Police station Sub Inspector Premjeet and his team for unwarranted assault of locals, today set ablaze the effigies of Home Minister Gaikhangam, local MLA and state Education Minister Moiranghtem Okendro who also holds the CAF&PD portfolio and Thoubal SP AK Jhaljit.
The enraged protestors also stormed the Heirok police station and tore down the sign board at the main gate of the station, even as the outnumbered police personnel kept on looking helplessly.
Locals had formed a “JAC against the atrocities by Heirok police” against the alleged abuse of several locals returning to Heirok on the intervening night of April 10 and 11 around 11:30pm by SI Premjeet and his police team in plainclothes in the name of frisking.
The JAC organized a public meeting at Heirok part II Laimayum local ground and during the meeting, all roads passing through Heirok remained blocked by the protestors.
Speaking at the meeting, JAC secretary L Mandir said the Heirok Police station, which was opened in the area following a demand from the locals as a safety measure against the March 24, 2008 incident, has today started to threaten the very locals of Heirok. He continued that urging the higher officer to take up actions against such atrocities, several memorandums have been submitted to the Home Minister, Local MLA and the concerned SP, however the authorities have remained silent without taking up any action.
During the meeting, the locals expressed that even though the authorities have assured to take necessary actions, they have remained silent in the hope that the people will at last get bored and forget the incident.
However, the meeting condemned such acts of the govt and concluded that the people will not remain silent and demanded that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which is the main cause of all such security excesses be repealed at the earliest.
Later after the meeting, the locals burned the effigies and took out a rally till the Heirok Police Station, and tore down the signboard.