The five police personnel were involved in beating the carriers of the three carriages of the local deities.
According to eye witnesses the incident happened late last night around 11pm at Lamlong Bazar area when the procession was coming back from Laipham Khunou.
The procession taken out on the last day of the Lai Haraoba was returning from Laipham Khunou.
According to witnesses of the incident, the police personnel on duty at the Lamlong Bazar area started beating the carriers of the three carriages citing that they were play acting uncontrollable, at which the carriers fled from the scene leaving the three carriages on the ground.
Enraged and terrified at the same time over the incident, a mob collected at the area and started pelting stones at the police personnel.
The police fled from the scene, but unsatisfied with it, the mob starting tearing down shop hoardings and started burning them.
Police reinforcements arrived soon, but were made to make hasty retreats due to the public outcry.
The angry mob did not allow even the fire brigade tankers to enter the area till this early morning.
Meanwhile, this early morning local priests and priestesses of the deity took in the deities into their places; however their carriers were left on the road till late this evening.
The mob was controlled this morning only after the arrival of Addl SP and OC, Porompat at the scene.
The mob however, held a public meeting at Lai Puthiba Sanglen (compound) and submitted a memorandum of demands to the authorities including stern action against the involved police personnel.
Meanwhile, with the five police personnel suspended this evening, the locals have taken the carriers from the road inside the temple.
