Senapati, April 21 (Hornbill Express): The 43 Assam Rifles (AR) based at Kangpokpi raided about three houses at around 3:00am of April 18 at Tumuyon Khullen Village here along the NH-2, allegedly while looking for NSCN (IM) cadres. It was followed by a physical tussle between the AR men led by a Major and women folk.
The AR men were fully masked and in combat clothes; they were rude and brutal towards the women, the villagers alleged. Such atrocities by security forces on the pretext of looking for arms during an important religious occasion (Good Friday) are condemnable and unacceptable, the villagers stated. The identity of the officer who led the 43AR team is yet to be ascertained. The 43AR is under the administration of the 59th Mountain Brigade Senapati. No statement or clarification on the matter was released by the security officials till the filling of this report.
The villagers alleged that despite a ceasefire, the Assam Rifles, empowered by the draconian AFSPA, took advantage of the friendly, peace loving villagers in the name of hunting for militants.
Meanwhile, frontal organizations of the village, Join Action Committee (JAC), General Women Society, Village Authority, Youth club, the Mayangkhang Area Development Committee and others condemned the action of the 43 AR. The JAC stated that the security personnel took advantage of the people at the expense of being called “Friends of the Hills”. The Committee appealed the law enforcers not to repeat such acts in the future.
