DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 16 (MExN): The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) has condemned the arrest of the advisor of Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), Thokchom Veewon during a joint operation by Manipur police and Delhi police. Veewon is currently kept at Janakpuri police Station and is likely to be taken to Manipur.
NESO in a condemnation note on Saturday stated that Veewon was arrested from his rental home at Saket in South Delhi on Friday on sedition charges. The student leader has been vocal against Manipur journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem’s arrest under NSA and the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and had led protests in Delhi.
While alleging that Veewon was arrested without providing any reason and arrest warrant, NESO also censured the undemocratic way in which the “police physically assaulted him, beat him, slapped him, dragged him and didn’t even allow him to wear slippers while picking him up from his residence.”
NESO also alleged that the police robbed him of his laptop and mobile phone. Earlier, it was also reported that he was searched by Manipur police at his home in Manipur and his family threatened not to make him engage in agitations, it added.
Standing in solidarity with Veewon, NESO has demanded the government to stop gagging dissent voices of students. It also demanded his immediate and unconditional release while cautioning that it will not remain silent on the issue.
