The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has directed Commandant 106, RAF battalion and Imphal West SP, director Transport, government of Manipur to submit status report regarding the allegations of violation of human rights due to vandalisation of the vehicles by the RAF and illegal parking of the vehicles in the National Highway and other public road/streets where people normally move to maintain their daily life.
The commission has also asked the director Transport and SP Traffic to consider how the traffic congestion and unauthorised parking of vehicles on the public road can be solved and the authority may wonder whether area-wise community parking can be done for those vehicle owners who have no parking place of their own.
The complaint was filed by Onil Kshetrimayum, Keishamthong Imphal West district alleging vandalisation of vehicles which were parked on the National Highway by RAF who are working under the Command of 108 Battalion in the intervening night of 12th and 13th June, 2023 without any provocation, either by the people of the locality or the owner of vehicles. He also said that such incidents of vandalisation of vehicles is not an isolated case as Manipur Police Personnel had resorted to breaking glass of vehicles which were parked along Paona Bazar road in the past too.
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He also contended that the vandalisation done by the RAF was also published in the daily local newspapers. He finally contended that vandalisation the vehicle by the RAF is also a violation of human rights as they destroyed properties like vehicles of the common people and more so, according to him, the Transport Department and Traffic Authority of Manipur also keep silent regarding unauthorised parking in the National Highway and in the public road/street by the car owner, who do not have their own garage.
MHRC opined that it would not be proper on their part to express any opinion before getting the status report from the respective respondents, namely Commandant 106, Battalion, RAF, Superintendent of Police, Imphal West, Director Transport, Government of Manipur.
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