Manipur police begins arms down protest

Imphal: Manipur Police Commandos in valley districts began an “arms down” protest; a day after unknown armed gunmen attacked the Additional SP Operation of Imphal West.

On Wednesday morning, personnel of Imphal West Commando first began the arms down protest at the Commando Complex in Imphal West. All commando personnel of Imphal West congregated and laid down their arms in protest against the inability to take up action by the Home department and the state government.

However,  after videos of the arms down protest began going viral on social media platforms, N. Herojit the DIG of Range 1 and SP of Imphal West Ksh Shivakanta arrived at the Commando complex. According to sources, the top officer talked with the commando personnel and urged them to stop their protest in view of the current law and order situation in the state. It was also learnt that the commando personnel had demanded the officer to give a go ahead to take action against those armed miscreants who attacked the residence of the police officer.

Commando personnel of Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts also carried out arms down protests. The commandos of Bishnupur district came out in a nearby playground and laid down their arms in protest against the attack. Same for the Thoubal and Kakching district commandos, where they laid down their arms at their respective district police headquarters.

On the other hand, commandos who are deployed at Indo-Myanmar border town Moreh also supported the protest, however, due to the frequent attacks being carried out by suspected Kuki militants, the commandos didn’t join their counterparts.

The Manipur Police in a statement said that on 27th February, armed miscreants numbering about 200 coming in vehicles stormed at the residence of the Imphal West Additional Superintendent of Police and vandalized the household properties at the residence.

It further said that in the midst of the incident, the Addl SP and one of his escorts were abducted by the armed miscreants. They were later rescued from Kwakeithel area in Imphal West and admitted to Raj Medicity for medical treatment. A case has been registered in this regard and investigation has started, however, Manipur police didn’t name the group behind the incident and no arrest has been made so far.

The arms down protest has not been called off. Whether to continue the protest depends on the decision taken up by the home department and home department, according to sources.