DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 19 (MExN): A number of organizations from Chumukedima have taken strong exception to the physical harassment inflicted to volunteers during the Coordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) peaceful protest staged at Chumukedima on October 18, 2016.
Chumukedima Town Youth Organisation, Chumukedima Town Student Union, Chumukedima Town Mothers Association and Chumukedima Town Head Gaon Bura in a joint condemnation note on Wednesday said the police personnel arrested some public leaders and attacked and injured the public/youth with lathi charge for no reason during the peaceful protest.
The organizations also alleged the police of trespassing inside private residences, shelling tear gas even in front of the Chumukedima Head GB, pelting stone blindly at the public which also entered classroom creating fear among school children, forcing public to enter school compound for shelter and disturbing and creating confusion in school, harassing and insulting minors.
Some police personnel in full uniform were on duty under the influence of alcohol and crossing beyond limit, they further alleged.
“If the police action was to disburse the crowd to avoid the situation from escalation, then does it necessitate seven, eight policemen to surround a volunteer and thrash him with lathi and kick him continuously 3-4 minutes,” questioned Chumoukedima Chambers of Commerce and Trade Association (CCCTA), in a separate press statement. It also questioned if this act was not “inhuman, barbaric, total brutality and an attempt to murder.”
The Association also condemned the action of the officer-in-charge who allegedly not only failed to control his jawans from going beyond limitation but also led them loose to fire teargas even into a school, which created havoc and nearly led to a stampeding incident and injury to a class-5 student.
While censuring the act, the Association through its president Avi Chase and general secretary James Kin, has demanded that the irresponsible officer is terminated from service before “he commit more blunders and inflict chaos, painting sour colour to the Dimapur Police Department.”
It also stated that if the nine CCoFA leaders detained and the volunteers beaten up and hospitalized were done as “pre-cautionary measures,” then the bond (PR) signed should automatically be nullified.
