The Union Home Ministry is understood to have taken a
serious view on the increasing blatant violations of the ground rules of
the suspension of operations by some signatories in Manipur. The latest
appalling violation was the beating up of a police officer on duty by
some signatories; even as the state Health Minister and some
Parliamentary secretaries were present just a few metres away.
Cop beaten up
While
welcoming 155 cadres who joined the national mainstream on Monday after
signing the suspension of operations Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh
warned those who are in designated camps against trampling the ground
rules.
But the former insurgents, who are now in the
designated camps, turned a deaf ear to the warnings. On the very next
day, some former militants who are staying in the designated camp
located within 46 Assam Rifles in Churachandpur district took the law
into their hands and mercilessly beat up one police officer in front of
hundreds of stunned spectators. The Minister and the Parliamentary
secretaries were in a nearby venue for official function.
Health
Minister Phungzathang Tonsing and other Parliamentary secretaries were
inspecting an hospital in the district. Mr. Tonsing was announcing that a
Hill medical college would be opened in the district. At this juncture
the former insurgents of a banned underground organisation chased a
fleeing police officer within the hospital campus. Police were keeping a
tight lip on what had provoked the former insurgents in attacking the
police officer in this manner.
Reports said that the
former militants who were in combat fatigue chased the fleeing police
officer in their jeep on Tuesday while the Health Minister was in the
function. Eventually they overtook the police officer. While several
former militants buttonholed the police officer, one of them punched him
in the face several times. Some local newspapers have published
photographs showing the former militants beating up the police officer.
They
tried to bundle him off in their jeep for taking to an undisclosed
place. On hearing the rumpus some police commandos rushed there. When
they tried to rescue the police officer the former militants resisted.
The police commandos slewed their guns towards the former militants
after which the police officer was allowed to go.
CM, Deputy CM to meet Shinde
Chief
Minister Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei — who is in
charge of Home — will be holding a meeting shortly with Union Home
Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on this issue. Militants of over 20
underground organisations in Manipur had come over ground after signing
this accord.
However, police had arrested leaders of
some signatories after reports on instances of issuing extortion threats
and allegations of involvement in kidnappings and other insurgency
related activities.
The Union Home Ministry is
understood to have asked the Manipur government to ensure that there is
no violation of the ground rules as. These increasing instances of the
violations are citing a bad example before one and all.
People
have already gained in indelible impression that signing of the
suspension of operations amounts to giving licence to commit crimes with
impunity. Sounding a warning Mr. Singh on Monday said that the state
and the central governments may be constrained to review to the
arrangements if these former militants do not follow the ground rules.
Home Minister Gangmei too was very unhappy and warned of drastic
government actions.
Mr. Singh and Mr. Gangmei were
not making public comments on Tuesday’s contretemps. The rank and file
of the police have also taken a serious view of the incident and they
are believed to have pressurised the government for taking up some
concrete actions in this connection. Mr. Gangmei also held a meeting
with the top ranking police and security forces to take stock of the
situation.
