Imphal: Hundreds of commando personnel from four districts of the Imphal Valley region in Manipur staged a symbolic protest on Wednesday by laying down their weapons, following a mob attack on the residence of a senior police officer on Tuesday night.
The attack and the abduction
According to sources, unidentified miscreants had opened fire at the residence of Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) M Amit Singh in Wangkhei, Imphal around 10 pm on Tuesday. They had also vandalized the property, breaking the glasses of four vehicles parked in the premises, as well as window glasses and flower pots.
The attackers had then abducted a senior police officer, who was identified as Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Kshetrimayum Bishworjit Singh, and one of his security personnel, who was identified as Constable Thounaojam Premkumar Singh. They had taken them to a nearby forest area, where they had assaulted them and demanded ransom.
However, the central and state forces had launched a massive search operation and rescued the abducted duo from Kwakithel area, about three kilometers from their residence, around 1 am on Wednesday. The state police said in a statement that two people were injured during the incident, which took place in the capital of the northeastern state.
The protest and the demand
In protest against the attack, commando personnel of Imphal West district laid down their weapons in their respective premises on Wednesday morning. Personnel of commando units in Imphal East, Bishnupur, and Thoubal districts also followed suit. “They symbolically placed their firearms on the ground in a row in protest,” an officer said.
The commandos demanded that the state government should take strict action against the culprits and provide adequate security to the police officers and their families. They also expressed their solidarity with the Additional Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, who were the victims of the attack.
The commandos said that they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the safety and security of the people, but they also expected respect and protection from society. They said that they would resume their duties only after the government assured them of justice and security.
