National

Action taken against four policemen in Manipur lynching case

Imphal | Three days after a 26-year-old man was lynched in Imphal West district on suspicion of being a vehicle lifter, police have suspended a sub-inspector and terminated the services of three other officers.

The purported video of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed that the four police personnel were “present at the spot when the victim was alive and lying unattended”, Imphal West SP Jogeshwar Haobijam told PTI.

Farooque Khan, a resident of Thoubal district, was lynched by an irate mob early Thursday at Tharoijam area in West Imphal on suspicion that he had stolen a two-wheeler. Two others with Khan, who managed to escape, have not been identified so far.

Local people set afire a car believed to have been used by the “two associates” of Ahmed.

“One sub-inspector has been suspended while three personnel of Village Defence Forces were terminated Sunday as one of the several videos of the incident circulating on social media showed that the four personnel were present at the spot when Khan was lying unattended,” Haobijam said. The episode has triggered sharp condemnations and sit-in protests by various social activists in the area.

The Manipur Human Rights Commission took up the case suo motu and directed the state director general of police to probe the matter and submit a report by September 22.

Five people, including a havildar attached to the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.

Several purported videos of a bleeding Khan were found doing the rounds on social media, prompting the Cyber Crime Unit to also take action against those who uploaded the clips, the SP said.

“We are still investigating into the incident. Stern action will be taken against everyone involved in the case,” he added.

Dear Readers,
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
Some error occurred

Related posts

Politics

Political parties have democratic right to conduct programmes: West Bengal Governor

TestHostEntry

Kolkata | West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi feels that every political party has the “constitutional and democratic right” to conduct their programmes, a remark that comes against the backdrop of the state government denying permission to the BJP to hold a ‘rath yatra’.

Commenting on political violence in West Bengal, Tripathi said violence should always be “deprecated and condemned” whether it is linked to political or criminal activities. “In a democracy, political programmes are bound to take place. This is a part of constitutional and democratic right, and all parties should therefore obey the command of the Constitution and follow it in true spirit,” Tripathi told PTI in an interview.

He was asked whether it is right for a state government to stop political parties from taking out rallies and yatras. Tripathi however refrained from naming any particular political party or government.

The former BJP veteran’s comments came at a time when the TMC government’s denial of permission to the saffron party to take out a ‘rath yatra’ that would have criss-crossed the state’s all 42 Lok Sabha seats ahead of the general elections has become a flashpoint between the two parties.

While appealing to the people of West Bengal to maintain peace and abide by law in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, Tripathi said, “Violence should always be deprecated and condemned whether it is connected with political activities or criminal activities.”

Referring to alleged rise in incidents of communal violence in West Bengal, Tripathi said, “Violence, because of communal reasons or otherwise, doesn’t find favour with people.”

Tripathi insisted that tolerance was the “most important” factor in a democratic society, and that peace could be ensured if people had patience to listen to, appreciate and evaluate the views of others.

The state was rocked by a string of incidents of communal violence including the riots in Dhulagarh and Kalichowk in 2016, Basirhat in 2017 and in Asansol in 2018.

Acknowledging that “there seems to be intolerance” in the country, Tripathi said he personally feels that all political parties should take steps to make people understand the importance of tolerance and patience so as to ensure a congenial atmosphere in society.

When asked about the war of words he had with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the Basirhat riots, he said, “Every state has a duty to act impartially and maintain law and order as acting impartially engenders faith in the government.”

A bitter war of words had broken out between Banerjee and Tripathi during the Basirhat communal conflagration. Banerjee, while addressing media after her telephonic talk with Tripathi, had accused him of insulting and threatening her. She had gone to the extent of claiming that the governor was acting like a “BJP block president”.

On being asked whether the idea of recommending President’s Rule ever crossed his mind during his gubernatorial stint in West Bengal since July 2014, he said he formed opinions on the basis of material available with him. “And that opinion is communicated to the appropriate authorities. It has to be confidential,” he said, in a terse reply.

On the allegation by some TMC leaders that he has turned Raj Bhavan into BJP’s “back office”, the thrice former speaker of Uttar Pradesh Assembly, said people come to meet him in exercise of their right to expression, they put forward their grievances, which are considered and necessary action taken.

Voicing concern over illegal infiltration from across the India-Bangladesh border, Tripathi said it affected the country’s security and needed to be stopped. “Illegal immigration continues, for whatever reason it does, and all effort should be made to stop it. It will be in national interest to stop it,” he said.

Related posts

News Hub