Mail News Service UNA
\nImphal, April 13 : Martyrs day was observed at Cheiraoching with people offered tributes at the statues of freedom fighters. Only relatives of PLA cadres killed were allowed to enter the premises.
\nThe RPF\/ PLA extended gratitude to all those who made the occasion a success. It expressed regret over the intervention by Manipur Police around 1:30 pm disallowing students in uniform to offer tributes.
\nSince morning hundreds of people including those of martyr\u2019s families in droves turned up and paid homage to the martyrs of the underground RPF\/PLA at the memorials located at Cheiraoching, Imphal despite the heavy presence of police and security forces.
\nFamilies and relatives of deceased leaders and well-wishers of the Revolutionary People\u2019s Front (RPF) and its armed wing People Liberation Army (PLA) confronted all odd to reach the top of the Cheiraoching where a memorial site of the departed leader is erected and offered floral tributes.
\nWhile on previous occasions security personnel restricted obeisance at the said sites, a court ruling allowed family members and relatives of the departed leaders paying their tributes without any restrictions this year.
\nFamilies Committee for Observation of April 13 expressed its gratitude to the people of the state particularly Civil organizations, students etc. for taking part in the floral paying ceremony at Cheiraoching Martyrs\u2019 Memorial complex.
\nIn a statement signed by its co-convenor, the committee also thank to all the transporters who had extended their help in transporting the people for taking part in the ceremony. It also thanks the water supply authority, the medical team and also the media persons for its co-operation with the floral paying ceremony.
\nThe floral tribute was offered at the memorial site of nine PLA leaders who slain a gun battle at Kondompokpi in Imphal West district of April 1982. Family members and relatives of the departed leaders and well-wishers were allowed to pay tributes at the site under strict monitor by police.
\nAt both sites, police allowed people to offer floral tributes from 5 am till 3 pm of the day.
\nPolice prohibited the people carrying banners and placards while entering at the memorial site located at the top of the Cheiraoching hill like done every year apart from noting their names to a register by the police.
\nThe court has also allowed the performance of the ceremony and paying floral offerings at the Cheiraoching memorial built in the name of those PLA cadres killed in an encounter with Army on the day in 1982 at Kodompokpi.
\nIn the past years the Manipur government had been trying to thwart the tribute paying function by imposing restrictive acts such as under Section 144 CrPC, but since the past few years, the court has ruled that the function should be allowed provided the participants come as individuals in single files and not in a group.
\nNine cadres of the group were killed in an encounter with Army troops at Kodompokpi on April 13, 1982, identified as Thoudam Kunjabihari, of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai, Thoudam Loken alias Amujao of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai, Paka of Heirok, Pakhanglakpa alias Puki of Keisampat, rk khoiromba alias Gyane of Moreh, Sorokhaibam Kameshwor alias Kanta of Heibongpokpi, Khundrakpam Chaobhan of Kwakeithel Moirangpurel, Naorem Rajen of Kakwa Naorem Leikai and Moirangthem Premkumar of Tera Sapam Leikai.<\/p>\n\n