Senior Citizens of Heirok in Manipur's Thoubal district alleged police personnel who were on duty in the area of acting as mere bystanders and not taking any action to control when the shooting occurred on Tuesday night at Heirok assembly constituency.
In a press meet held at Manipur Press Club, Senior Citizens Forum of Heirok, convenor Moirangthem Rajmohon Singh, expressed fear that a full blown civil war might take place if the situation is not controlled in time. The forum had earlier given an ultimatum to the state government, including the governor of Manipur to restore peace, tranquility, and harmony in Heirok, he said.
However, the government neglected the incidents that took place in the first week of December, he alleged, adding that the government and authorities concerned remained silent instead of investigating the incidents. Another incident happened yet again on Tuesday night and one youth died, while another is in serious condition, he added.
The law and order situation at Heirok is in total chaos at present with heavy-armed masked hoodlums in black attire running amok at night, shooting, ransacking, burning properties, and looting the homes of innocent villagers, thereby creating great unrest and panic among the local inhabitants of the areas, he said.
Rajmohon said that on Tuesday night at around 8 pm, the masked miscreants in black attire started blocking Heirok part- II village in an area-wise manner. “The shooting, destroying homes, started late at night. Many houses were burnt while their properties were destroyed. Many people have evacuated from their houses to neighbouring villages. It all happened in front of the police,” he said.
He requested the police personnel who were on duty in the area to protect them, but they allegedly said that they do not have the power to take action.
“Those culprits even destroyed the CCTV camera of one coaching centre. There is now a pervading fear-psychosis in the minds of the local inhabitants,” he said. He said that he is in fear of whether he may get killed while returning home, and requested all concerned to protect him.
He recalled that the local administration clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC in the whole Heirok area under pressure from the local clubs. The central security forces like CRPF and BSF were deployed for some time and the situation returned to normalcy for some time. But eventually, the central security forces were removed some weeks ago and the state of chaos returned with a vengeance, he added.
At the present, the whole Heirok village is like a zone with the local inhabitants gathering in groups at night time, uncertain about their fate whenever the sun sets, he added.
If no action is taken up by the authorities concerned, then locals will launch an intensive stir against the culprits, he added. He urged the civil society organisations to extend support and help in controlling the situation and protecting the locals from violence.
