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| Women protesters block a road at Khurai in Imphal East on Wednesday. Picture by Eastern Projections |
Imphal, Aug. 13 : Five hundred women defied curfew and marched down the streets of Imphal West today as the embers of protest against the July 23 killings refused to die down despite the governor and chief minister’s pacifying overtures.
A former militant, Ch. Sanjit, was gunned down by police commandos in an “encounter” in Imphal city on July 23. Rabina Devi, a pregnant woman, was also killed in indiscriminate firing when the commandos were chasing the former rebel.
Though protests against the “fake encounter” began rending the air soon after the deaths, the agitation heightened after newspapers in Manipur published pictures released on a web portal showing police commandos dragging a calm Sanjit into a medicine store and emerging with his body.
Since then, hundreds of people having been defying curfew and marching down streets in both Imphal districts led by Apunba Lup.
The Okram Ibobi Singh government announced a judicial inquiry and suspension of seven personnel involved in the incident.
But the government salve failed to calm the agitators.
Rallies, sit-ins and demonstrations continued in most districts and were especially violent in Greater Imphal.
Though a security cordon and curfew managed to thwart a massive rally planned by Apunba Lup on Monday, the police allowed a five-member delegation from the organisation to meet Governor Gurbachan Jagat and submit their memorandum.
The memorandum demanded dismissal of the Ibobi Singh government, punishment to the commandos responsible for the deaths and release of the protesters arrested by the police.
An uneasy calm enveloped Imphal for a while today till it was broken when 500 protesters, led by Meitei, Kabui and Kuki Apunba Lup and Rongmei Women Union under the aegis of the Apunba Lup, marched 4km from New Keithelmanbi to Moidangpok village.
The protesters dispersed after the police fired in the air.
“We will continue to support the Apunba Lup agitation until the demands are met. We demand punishment of the commandos, resignation of Ibobi Singh and release of the arrested protesters,” Panti Golmei, a women activist, said.
A team from the Sanjit action committee met leaders of Rabina action committee to chalk out the next course of agitation.
“We have decided to continue the agitation until the commandos are punished, but no specific programme has been fixed yet,” Th. Anita of Sanjit committee said.
The Opposition Manipur Peoples Party president Nimaichand Luwang today reiterated the party’s demand for resignation of Ibobi Singh.
He said the MPP would soon hold a “public dialogue” on alleged fake encounter killings and file a public interest litigation in the Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court against the imposition of curfew.
Protesters also staged a sit-in at the gate of private residence of Congress MLA, E. Kunjeshore Singh, at Wanbgkhei in Imphal East when the curfew was relaxed between 9am and 2pm.
Another sit-in was staged at Naoremthong of Imphal West.
There was another rally at Wangoo in Bishnupur to protest alleged harassment of civilians by Assam Rifles personnel in the area.
But the rally broke up when the police fired teargas shells and burst mock bombs.