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KANGPOKPI, April 19: The agitation against the alleged rape of a minor girl on April 17 by a 65 year old man turned violent today with nine protestors injured during police action at Kanglatongbi.

Early this morning around 6, people from different communities residing in the area including Meiteis, Naga, Kukis and Nepali gathered at Kalapahar to block the National Highway no 2 by burning tyres and piling up stone in the middle of the road.

A huge sit in protest was also staged in the bazar area.

The protestors held placards saying “We condemn the rape of girl child,” “Hang the Rapist,” “All civil societies condemn innocent killing,” “Do you support the rapist, Manipur Police?”.

All shops at Kalapahar, Kangpokpi to Kanglatongbi along the highway remained closed. Many vehicles including interstate passenger buses, loaded trucks, passenger wingers and others were stranded at Kangpokpi.

At least nine protestors including four women were injured in lathi charge by Kangpokpi police personnel including its Officer-in-charge Suresh Anthony at Kalapahar this morning.

The police personnel also resorted to firing several round of teargas and blank fire, claimed the agitators.

The injured have been identified as Ghanashyam Koirala, 52, a renowned Nepali writer of Kalapahar; Narayan Dharma, 26, literature secretary of Gorkha Students` Union Manipur; Diliram Gautam, 50, ex-member Kalapahar Gram Panchayat; Ribu Raj Bhujel, 54, ex-pradhan, Kalapahar; Prakash Siwakoti, 51; Amika Katwal, 32; Padma Kharel, 50; Goma Dhakal, 43 and Rita Acharya, 23.

A mammoth crowd gathering at Kanglatongbi, Saturday morning decrying both the rape incident and the police brutality against agitators.
A mammoth crowd gathering at Kanglatongbi, Saturday morning decrying both the rape incident and the police brutality against agitators.

Ghanashyam Koirala asserted that the doctors adviced him to take an x-ray examination and further treatment, however, the police denied.

He said the police even avoided him from filing an FIR.

Kalapahar Bazaar Board Chairman Amar Bahadur Bandhari asserted that we got raped and on top of that we got injured and killed. The Government should initiate befitting punishment to the rapist as well as the Police officer and his men involved in the unconstitutional activities against the peaceful demonstrators.

In the meantime, Kuki Students` Organization Sadar Hills condemned the brutal raped of a minor student girl and the unconstitutional activities of police personnel against the innocent demonstrators in the strongest term.

He continued that public demonstration should be respected and render immediate attention before adding that even while the President and Prime Minister of the country are supposed to respect the public demonstration how come the law enforcers have failed to do so.

The KSO Sadar Hills also announced to endorse any form of agitation by the JAC against the incident if the Government failed to fulfil the demands.

Emboi Serto led All Tribal Students` Union Manipur(ATSUM) also highly condemned the incident of raping a minor school going child and the excessive unlawful activities of the state forces.

Mother`s Union Kangpokpi AC has also strongly condemned the incident and sought appropriate action against the rapist and the police personnel involved in sustaining severely injuries to the protestors who seek justice democratically.

On the other hand the Mahila Mandal Kalapahar, Sadar Hills, Kuki Women Organization for Human Rights, Sadar Hills and Kuki Women Union Sadar Hills jointly lodged their condemnation against the incident and asked the state Government to book the .

The joint women organizations also asked the State Government to transfer the Officer-in-Charge of Kangpokpi Police Station at the earliest terming him as “beast not human” before adding that he is not capable of delivering public service due to his bestial attitude towards the general public.

In the meantime, the JAC formed in connection with the death of the agitator has demanded the termination of Officer-in-Charge of Sekmai Police Station and Kangpokpi Police Station as well as those personnel involved in the killing and injuring innocent demonstrators.

The JAC also declared not to claimed the dead body of Tilak Poudyal until and unless the Government fulfilled its demands.

A reliable source informed that another confrontation between the agitators and the police personnel from Sekmai PS took place at this evening at Kanglatongbi.

A Maruti Gypsy of the police personnel has been vandalised which compel the police personnel resort to another firing of teargas and bullets.

Until filing of this report there is no report of any casualties from both sides.

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