Manipur Cops Kick Journo On His Chest, Assaults Him At An IDP Rally In Imphal, 4 Others Including A Student Injured

The protest rally by IDPs turned tense with police resorting to blank firing and firing of tear gas shells.

A senior reporter of a local cable TV channel in Manipur was allegedly beaten up mercilessly by the police while he was covering a mass rally of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) wanting to go back home.

The mass rally was organised by the IDPs in Singjamei’s Akampat urging government to make arrangements for them to go back home.

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 the chaos and violence.

The protest rally by IDPs turned tense with police resorting to blank firing and firing of tear gas shells.

As per inputs, the police told the protesters that no rally would be allowed since the Assembly session was underway.

During the violent 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.

“I reached here at Akampat and I was recording with my camera. Then the Sub Inspector came and asked who are you? I told him that I am a journalist, and that is when he assaulted me and broke my phone and my camera equipment. He also threatened to kill me,” said the victim journalist.

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

Sources alleged that the police were so brutal in their approach that even student protesters were not spared.

Journalists in Imphal are now up in arms against the Manipur Police following the assault on their colleague and marched all the way to Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence to register a protest against the incident.

Members of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union and the Editors’ Guild, Manipur marched to the CM’s residence after announcing that they would boycott all Manipur Police programmes if the SI who allegedly assaulted the journalist is not dismissed from service.

If sources are to be believed, the internally displaced are planning another massive rally soon to air their concerns.

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