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Manipur : More flak for security forces |
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Walking from one controversy to another, government forces in Manipur last week faced frenzied protests in Bishenpur and Chandel districts over a woman’s arrest and the death of another in firing by Army and paramilitary personnel.
A mob blocked the National Highway 150 at Yumnam Khnuou, in Bishenpur, in protest against the arrest of 65-year-old Toncaobi Devi on Friday. The police team was actually looking for her son, Joy Singh, in connection with a kidnapping case but picked up his mother instead when they could not locate him.
Residents of Khoibu village, in Chandel district, erupted in similar fashion over the death of 30-year-old Meikham in an encounter between militants and an Army and Assam Rifles team. Four members of the outlawed People’s Liberation Army were killed, too.
Villagers refused to accept the woman’s body for cremation until the soldiers involved in the encounter were punished.
Bishenpur district is also seething over the alleged molestation of a woman during a search operation by security forces earlier this month. The incident occurred at a village adjacent to Yumnam Khnuou.
Mass rape by militants : Probe ordered
Mounting protests against the alleged molestation of a woman in police custody and mass rape by militants have forced the Manipur government to announce separate judicial inquiries into these incidents.
The Okram Ibobi Singh cabinet decided to entrust the inquiries to a retired high court judge from outside the state specifically to “remove all doubts about the impartiality of the exercise”.
Women’s organisations of Churachandpur district erupted in anger following allegations about 21 girls from the Hmar tribe being sexually assaulted by members of the United National Liberation Front in January.
These alleged sexual assaults are supposed to have occurred in Lunthulien, Parbung and Thanlon villages.
Thousands participated in a rally at the district headquarters on March 8 to mount pressure on the government to take action and announce compensation to the “victims”.
The Chief Minister’s home district, Thoubal, has also been restive ever since Maibam Naobi Devi, the alleged girlfriend of a slain People’s Liberation Army militant, accused police commandos of “sadistically” torturing and molesting her in custody.
The cabinet decided to institute the judicial inquiry into the molestation case after nobody deposed before the magistrate entrusted with the probe.
The Chief Minister assured the Assembly of prompt action based on the judicial inquiry reports. He said militant groups had been holding sway in Thanlon, Tipaimukh and Parbung - all in Churachandpur district - for a decade until the Army moved into these areas in January.
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