Journalist among 30 hurt during COCOMI rally at Manipur’s Phougakchao
CONFLICT
Imphal: At least 30 persons were injured when security forces and the police fired tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse thousands of protestors who attempted to breach army barricades at Bishnupur district’s Phaogakchao Ikhai close to Kuki-Zo dominated Churachandpur district on Wednesday.
A cameraperson of a national news agency was among the injured who all were rushed to Bishnupur district hospital and other health facilities, sources said, adding that they are out of danger.
Owing to the military barricades, local people could not cross the area and visit their residences at the Torbung village which they had vacated after the ethnic violence broke out on May 3, said the protestors.
Responding to the call of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the people, defying curfew clamped in all five valley districts, managed to reach Kwakta and nearby Poukhakcaho Ikhai since morning.
The police, Army, Assam Rifles and central paramilitary forces had already remained vigil at several points at the Phougakchao area to push back the protestors even as a massive protest march began from Kwakta, but the security forces prevented the legion of people from further move.
At the same time, a large number of protestors, including COCOMI leaders staged a sit-in on the road just ahead of the Phougakchao army barricade.
As the protestors attempted to breach the barricades, the police and security forces fired tear gas canisters and mock mobs, injuring them and the video journalist.
COCOMI, one of the prominent umbrella civil bodies of the state, had urged the government to remove the army barricades by August 30.
At the protest site COCOMI convener Jitendra Ningomba justified that the removal of the barricades will give way for the displaced Meitiei to return back to their original homes at Tourbung village.
“ This is the second time we have come out, and now we are waiting a response from the government towards this end,” he added.
On Tuesday night, the state government appealed to COCOMI to withdraw its plan to remove the barricade.
Information and public relations minister Sapam Ranjan said the government had already removed many of the barricades.
Around 700 displaced people of Torbung area, who were taking refuge at various relief camps, have started to come back and resettled in their original houses, added the minister.