Unruly Crowd Attacked Vehicles, Pelted Stones: Manipur Police’s Defence Amidst Allegations Of High-Handedness

On Thursday morning, a mass rally organised by the IDPs in Singjamei’s Akampat turned tense with police resorting to blank firing and firing of tear gas shells

Under fire for assaulting journalist and firing tear gas shells on internally displaced people (IDPs) who were protesting in Imphal wanting to go back home, the Manipur Police is now trying to defend its action by saying that the crowd turned unruly and started attacking police vehicles which is why they had to fire “minimum rounds of tear gas shells”.

Amid allegations of high-handedness, the Manipur Police in a statement issued this morning, stated, “During a rally at Akampat, Imphal East, the crowd turned unruly and started attacking police vehicles and pelted stones. The police had to resort to firing minimum rounds of tear gas shells to control the unruly crowd. In the meantime, some people made videos of students being panicked in classrooms and circulated in social media with the intention of spreading panic amongst the pubic and students. It is appealed to the public not to do such things for creating panic among the general masses, else strict legal action will be taken”.

On 01.08.2024, during a rally at Akampat, Imphal East, the crowd turned unruly and started attacking police vehicles and pelted stones. The police had to resort to firing minimum rounds of tear gas shells to control the unruly crowd.
In the meantime, some people made videos of…

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) August 2, 2024

The Manipur Police in its statement also mentioned that videos were being made by a section of individuals showing students being panicked in classrooms and circulated on social media to spread panic amongst the public and students.

The police have warned stern action against those individuals who try to create panic among the general masses.

On Thursday morning, a mass rally organised by the IDPs in Singjamei’s Akampat urging the government to make arrangements for them to go back home turned tense with police resorting to blank firing and firing of tear gas shells.

As per inputs, the protesters planned to march to the Assembly, however, the police confronted them a few metres away from the relief camp and tried to disperse the protesters leading to chaos and violence.

During the violent protest, a senior reporter of a local cable TV channel was also beaten up by the police while he was covering the IDPs protest.

The journalist was assaulted by a Sub Inspector (SI), despite introducing himself as a journalist.

As per eyewitnesses, the journalist was kicked in the chest and also assaulted on the face despite showing his identity card. Later he was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Around half a dozen IDPs taking part in the rally also received injuries in the incident.

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