Women vendors of Iconic Women Market during the overnight protest on the streets near their market shed, Imphal on February 9. (Photo Courtesy: NNN)
Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 10
As many as six women vendors and woman police personnel were injured after a clash broke out between the police and women vendors of Ima Keithel (Women Market) staging overnight protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill Sunday evening in the heart of Imphal.
Women vendors of Ima Keithel have been on the streets near their market since Saturday demanding immediate withdrawal of the CAB.
They stayed the whole night on the streets while announcing that their protest will be continued till February 12, the day they expected of the government tabling the Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
Around 3000 women vendors have been on the streets, suspending their daily business activities, since Saturday morning. Owing to the protest, the normal business activities in the three market places – Paona Bazar, Thangal Bazar and Khwairamnband Keithel and its surrounding markets – remained paralysed for the second day on Sunday.
On Saturday night, a strong police team along with Central security force personnel were sent to the area apparently to disperse the women vendors. However, with the reason best known to the authority, the women vendors were allowed to stay there.
Since the early morning on Sunday, police officers have been reportedly asking the women vendors to end up their protest and open the streets for normal flow of traffic.
The police reportedly set 4:00 pm of Sunday as deadline for the women vendors to leave the place and allow normal traffic movement.
As the women vendors did not pay heed to the police deadline, the police assisted by the Central security personnel with riot gears used force to disperse the protesting women vendors.
A confrontation broke out between women vendors and women police personnel who were sent for the purpose of dispersion around 6:00 pm on Sunday.
To put the situation under control, the police resorted to firing several rounds of tear gas shells besides using mock bombs.
In the melee, at least five women vendors and woman police constable sustained injuries. All were immediately rushed to RIMS hospital where some of them had complaints of breathing problem.
MANPAC strongly condemned the “serious action” of the police and security force while alleging that the women vendors staging "democratic forms of protest" against CAB were dispersed using force without any prior warning to them.
The leaders of the MANPAC who visited at the protest site said that the women vendors were staging the protest "very peacefully and democratically" but the police and other security force personnel acted on them without any provocation.
"Such attack on the women vendors will not able to suppress the movement against CAB in the state," MANPAC said.
The women vendors have vowed to continue the stir further on Monday and days to come until the CAB is completely withdrawn. MANPAC said it will extend all possible support to the women vendors.
