KANGPOKPI, May 3: The Kuki Students`™ Organization Sadar Hills has called a 24 hour total bandh from midnight of May 6 which is likely to be followed by indefinite economic blockade over Moidangpok incident yesterday and allotment of land for Cultural University allegedly at L. Tangnaum village under Saitu-Gamphazol Sub Division of Sadar Hills.
President KSO Sadar Hills Thangminlen Kipgen, speaking to media person at Kangpokpi this evening alleged that the incident which occurred at Moidangpok village yesterday is the handiwork of New Keithelmanbi Development Association where a van driver identified as Paokhongam Kipgen was severely beaten and his vehicle torched.
Elucidating the incident, the student body president alleged that with the Government Orders for imposing 144 CrPC at Lalhoiphai village, the chief of Lalhoiphai village went to his village along with the Orders by hiring the said van from Imphal while adding that police personnel of G-Sapormeina were already on the spot when the chief reached his village.
Few minutes later Pradhan of Moidangpok Gambhir Singh and Akhamdon of Keithelmanbi along with other three unidentified persons went to Lalhoiphai village and argued with the chief said Thangminlen who also said that the police personnel on the site later turned away the Pradhan and his companion.
He further narrated that sensing impish mind-set of the Pradhan and his companion, Lalhoiphai village chief hired one auto-rickshaw and left for Imphal soon after the Pradhan of Moidangpok and his companion left his village. A minute later police personnel of Patsoi and Thanglongbung PS arrived at the village led by one ASI and took some photographs of the village and later told the driver of the van that a huge numbers of Meetei people will come very soon and the police will not be able to protect him and it would be wise for them to leave immediately. However, the driver flatly denied alleged Thangminlen who continued that the police personnel of Patsoi and Thanglongbung PS insisted the driver to go along with them and escort him in between their two official gypsy vehicles.
But, unfortunately when they reached Moidangpok the people there attacked the van and dragged down the driver and severely thrashed him in front of the police personnel who escorted him, Thangminlen said while adding that the driver was also attacked with a knife but he escaped and shouted for help to the police who witnessed the whole scene of crime like a drama.
The student body president further alleged that when the police at last intervened when the driver was almost dead the people told them they will pay the cost of his life and to hand him over if still alive. Alleging that the whole incident is a plan to kill the chief of Lalhoiphai village Thangminlen Kipgen said that if Lalhoiphai village chief was in the van he should be killed for sure in the hands of his communal neighbor and said that the communal tune of the people who almost killed the driver as anti-tribal which will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
It is also a matter of drastic dishonor for the men in uniform who could not protect even a single man whom they escorted slammed Thangminlen while alleging that Patsoi and Thanglongbung police intention was not to protect the driver but to handover to the people straightforwardly.
Therefore, the KSO Sadar Hills demand immediate removal of such police personnel including the ASI and declared New Keithelmanbi Development Association as Anti-People by the Government and abolished the association while taking punitive action against all involved in the incident within three days.
KSO Sadar Hills also vehemently decried the allotment of land for Cultural University at L. Tangnaum under Saitu-Gamphazol block of Sadar Hills and claiming of the land to be of Koutruk village under Lamsang Sub Division of Imphal West. He further alleged that the land allotted for the Cultural University is of L. Tangnaum Village which is earlier known as Haraothel under Saitu-Gamphazol Sub Division in Sadar Hills while adding that the people of Sadar Hills will never allowed the Government to go with its orders.
The KSO Sadar Hills also clarified that the picture published in the local newspaper, Sangai Express as a pastoral site of Koutruk village is the genuine land areas of L. Tangnaum village and not that of Koutruk village while urging the media house concerned to clarify on the picture so as to avoid misunderstanding.
Considering the various hidden agenda of the state Government over the people and land of Sadar Hills in particular and the tribal and their land in general, the KSO Sadar Hills called 24 hr total bandh in Sadar Hills from midnight of May 6 to be followed by indefinite economic blockade if the Government fails to come up with practical efforts within three days time warned Thangminlen Kipgen. Urging all the tribal people of the state to considered the incident of Moidangpok and land allotment of L. Tangnaum village as against the tribal people KSO Sadar Hills president also appealed all tribal bodies to render support and cooperation in the movement.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/kso-sadar-hills-calls-24-hour-total-bandh-over-moidangpok-incident/