Newmai News Network Imphal | November 27 National Highway-2, also popularly called Imphal-Dimapur Road, was blocked for several hours today at Kanglatongbi area, some 20 km north of Imphal, as protestors imposed bandh demanding the arrest of Kh Kashinba, who has gone into hiding after allegedly “raping” and attempting to murder a school girl. On August 1 evening this year, the girl was found in an unconscious state in Senapati district headquarters. The victim is now surviving with multiple stitches in her head and hands after a month long treatment. Speaheaded by Liangmaipui Naga Ruangdi, Manipur (Liangmai Women Union), Namdilong Women Development Society, Kanglatongbi and Liangmai Naga Katina Ruangdi (Liangmai students’ body), protestors blocked vehicles passing the Kanglatongbi area. As a large number of protestors blocked the national highway by piling logs and burning them, police had to resort to tear gas. In the process there were incidents of scuffle between the security force personnel and the protestors. By 11:00 am, there was a communication from the State Government to the protestors for negotiation. Some leaders of the protesting organizations met the Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi and the Director General of Police (DGP) of Manipur. According to the Liangmai organizations, they met the DGP at 3:30 pm. The police chief assured to arrest the accused within one month’s time. The DGP also told the Liangmai organizations that the cash reward of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to the capture of Kh Kashinba will be increased to 1 lakh effective from November 28. Following this assurance, the agitation was called off by around 4:00 pm. On November 23, the Liangmai organizations had demanded that the accused should be arrested within 72 hours or else they would go ahead with the 12-hour total shutdown of National Highway-2 from 6:00 am of November 27 followed by different forms of agitation. According to the Liangmai organizations, earlier they had planned to start agitation but owing to requests from the Chief Minister and other authorities of the State Government they did not go ahead with their agitation. They said the State Government had assured the arrest of the accused within a short period but till date nothing had happened. “It is a shame that such a high authority talking very big thing taking too long to arrest a rapist,” they maintained. “We will wait till December 27 for the arrest of Kh Kashinba. In the event of the failure from the State Government side to arrest the culprit we will not listen to anyone but to go on with our agitation till the culprit is arrested,” asserted an LNKR leader.
