IMPHAL, March 20: Atleast one women was injured and a police vehicle was destroyed in confrontation between police and protestors in Yairipok Thoubal district today, in connection with the issue of the alleged molestation of school girl by her warden.
An irate mob from Andro, locality of the alleged victim, at around 9 am set out in several vehicles with an intention to storm the Yairipok Police Station.
However, the mob was waylaid and barricaded by a team of Yairipok police led by SDPO, S Hemanta at Angha Lamkhai of Yairipok Ngariyan, resulted in a confrontation between the protestors and the police.
The police, who were outnumbered by the protestors, fired live rounds in the air besides using mock bomb and tear gas canister, in an attempt to disperse the mob. At the same time, in response to the police action the mob also attacked the police by pelting stones.
In the process, a woman protestor was injured and a police was destroyed. The injured woman has been identified as one Leichungbam Khomdon Devi, 35 of Andro Machinpat. She sustained injury on her chin after being hit by tear gas shell.
Later the mob was controlled with additional units of police commandos rushing at the spot as reinforcement.
Meanwhile, the JAC formed against the alleged molestation convened a public meeting at Azad High school wherein it resolved to set a deadline of March 23 to handover the accused to the JAC failing which threatened to launched more intense form of agitation.
The meeting was also attended by Andro MLA, Th Shyamkumar besides the locals.
Similar, meeting was also held at Yairipok Bishnunaha Awang Leikai SEDO club, locality of the accused Ibohanbi.
The meeting resolving to give full support in any agitation taken up by the JAC, agreed to expelled the accused from the locality permanently.
They also resolved to stay away from mob justice such as destroying or burning the house or property of the accused.
It may be recalled that the accused Keisham Ibohanbi Singh (61), s/o late Keisham Ningthemjao Singh of Yairipok Bishnunaha Awang Leikai near Yairipok Bazar, reportedly molested his girl student on March 18 forcibly molested and attempted to rape the student when no one was around in the campus.
Ibohanbi was arrested the same night from his home and was produced before A Guneshwar Sharma, special judge POCSO Thoubal District. The judge remanded him to police custody till March 22 for further investigation.