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People protesting against alleged custodial death of arrested cadre sparks protest in Kangpokpi on Janaury 28. (NNN Photo)
Newmai News Network
Imphal | January 28
Death of a cadre of a militant group under Suspension of Operation (SoO) allegedly in police custody triggered protests in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday.
Protestors who stormed and resorted to vandalism also imposed blockade along the Imphal-Mao section of NH-2, forcing many vehicles including passenger service vehicles stranded.
Sources said that a cadre of Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), a constituent outfit of Kuki National Organisation (KNO) maintaining Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Centre and the state government of Manipur, allegedly died in the custody of Kangpokpi police. The deceased cadre was identified as Thangboi Louvum of Kangpokpi. He was reportedly arrested by troops of 38 Assam Rifles on January 25 last and handed over to Kangpokpi police station. He was allegedly found dead inside the lock-up of the Kangpokpi police station early Tuesday morning.
When the news of the death of the underground cadre allegedly in the police custody spread across Kangpokpi district headquarters, a large number of people, mostly womenfolk stormed the police station and vandalised the station. Besides destroying furniture and computer sets of the police station, the protestors smashed window panes of the station.
At the same time, locals of Kangpopi also imposed blockade on NH-2 passing through the district headquarters by burning goods on the road.
The blockade forced to strand all the vehicles including passenger service vehicles coming from both sides beyond the district headquarters.
Helpless passengers of the inter-state passenger service vehicles were compelled to cross Kangpokpi town on foot to further their journey.
Even though talks have been initiated between government officials and leaders of civil society organisations to settle the matter, the blockade is yet to be lifted till the time of filing this report.
A source said that a talk was held between leaders of the agitating civil society organisations and officials of the state government at the administrative building of Kuki Student Organisation (KSO), Kangpokpi.
Top officials of district administration and police took part in the talk in which the civil society organisations demanded punishment of the police personnel involved in the alleged custodial death of the KRA cadre. They civil society organisations further demanded judicial enquiry into the case besides compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the three children of the deceased.
The civil society bodies leaders assured that if their demands are agreed, then the dead body of the cadre will be accepted after necessary post mortem.
Reports said that the district administration has approached the higher authority of the state government regarding the demands.
