Two Congress workers were arrested on Sunday for allegedly assaulting a BJP worker at Thoubal Ningombam Uttha Leikai, under Thoubal police station. The Chief Judicial Magistrate Thoubal has remanded the accused in police custody for three days.
The incident occurred around 8 pm on Friday and at least five Congress workers were allegedly involved in the assault, sources said.
Following it, police have registered an FIR and registered a case under section 325/307/34 of the IPC, and 27(1) C, Arms Act. The search is on to arrest the remaining persons allegedly involved in the incident, police said.
Meanwhile, the injured BJP worker Loitongbam Suren, 52, son of Ibopishak from Thoubal Achouba is currently undergoing treatment.
The two arrested persons are identified as Ningombam Gojendro, son of late Ibomcha and Ningombam Alexander, son of Achou. Both are from Thoubal Ningombam. Alexander is said to be a police constable.
Both were named in the complaint report filed at Thoubal police station by the wife of Suren. The remaining three persons mentioned in the complaint are police constable Md Atiqur alias Md Elen son of Md Badur from Thoubal Moijing; Ningombam Amitkumar, son of Momon and A Sanjitkumar alias Khan, son of Borjao. Both are from Thoubal Ningombam.
As per sources, all five are workers of Congress candidate Thoubal assembly constituency, former chief minister Okram Ibobi. Among them, Ningomba Gojendro is said to be a close relative of the former chief minister. On the other hand, L Suren is a worker of rival BJP candidate Leitanthem Basanta, sources said.
As per the complaint filed by his wife Tombi, Suren went to visit his sister at Thoubal Ningombam Uttah Leikai on Friday around 8 pm.
On learning that his sister was attending a meeting at the community hall of her locality, Suren came to the spot. On his way, the five persons led by Ningombam Gojen stopped him and he was severely beaten, as per the complaint. The complaint also mentioned that Gojendro was in possession of a gun.
From a different source, it is learnt that as many as four firearms have been seized from the two arrested persons. It is yet to be ascertained whether the seized weapons are licensed or not.
Meanwhile, tensions rose during a ‘camera meeting’ of BJP candidate Leitanthem Basant at a locality in Thoubal Athokpam after Congress supporters allegedly tried to stop the meeting.
However, the issue was stopped from further escalation after additional force of Thoubal district police arrived at the spot and took control of the situation. The BJP meeting was also allowed to finish afterwards, sources said.
