Manipur Violence: 5 Men Charged Under UAPA For Wearing Army Uniforms, Looting Guns
Date
9/20/2023 2:02:03 PM
(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) The Manipur Police has arrested five men for their alleged involvement in the theft of weapons from a police armoury while impersonating army personnel. The incident occurred on Saturday in the violence-stricken state. The arrested individuals are now facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Official Secrets Act, triggering protests in Imphal demanding their release.
The arrested men were found in possession of two rifles and over 128 rounds of ammunition, which were reportedly stolen from police armouries in either May or June, during the early days of the violence in Manipur.
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One of the arrested men, a 45-year-old former cadre of the banned insurgent group People's Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur, is also facing charges under the National Security Act.
Following the arrests, Meira Paibis, a collective of elderly tribal women, staged roadblocks in various areas of Imphal and other districts in protest, demanding the release of the detained individuals. They even attempted to break into the police station where the men were being held, resulting in injuries to several security personnel due to tear gas shell firing by the police. A 48-hour statewide bandh was called for by the collective and other local organizations.
The Manipur police had previously issued warnings in July after discovering several videos depicting armed rioters wearing black commando uniforms, which had been stolen during the early days of the violence. These incidents of rioters wearing army-like uniforms aim to sow distrust among the public and are on the rise, according to the police.
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Apart from the uniforms, armed assailants are also using sophisticated weapons stolen from police armouries to extort and intimidate local residents, undermining peace efforts in the state, as per the Manipur police. Since the outbreak of ethnic clashes in Manipur on May 3, at least 175 people have been killed, 1,118 others injured, and 33 individuals remain missing, according to police data.
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