Ukhrul: Three Tangkhul men were allegedly beaten by unidentified Meitei armed miscreants at Sawombung, Imphal on the night of December 3, 2023, Sunday.
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The three persons were on their way back to Ukhrul from Imphal. The Scorpio vehicle in which the trio were travelling was first stopped by womenfolk at Sowombung, Imphal at around 9 pm and asked for their identity. Even after identity verification of the trio’s was made, at least 5 armed miscreants, alleged to be Meitei, whisked them away in a white Gypsy and were beaten black and blue.
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As narrated by one of the victims, “The Meira Paibis were appealing the armed miscreant to let us go since they have identified our identity. However, we were forcibly taken away to another place and more people joined the group. We were taken to a nearby bridge and after interrogation, we were made to lie down and beaten black and blue. They accused us of being a spy/informer of Kuki-Zo, which we denied flatly. Despite telling them the truth, they kept on beating us and threatened to shoot us with the weapons they were carrying. They even started counting 1-10…”
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Further, the victim continued, “During the interrogation, they even accused us that the magnetic hat clip ball marker which was in the hat/cap was a symbol of Kuki-Zo and they took away the hat clip ball marker. They even placed the gun in our neck and threatened to shoot us. After beating us black and blue at the bridge, they took us to another place and told us to run, but we objected to that. It was only after the guy on Activa bike, who called up one Tangkhul lady to ascertained and confirm our villages, through loudspeaker over the phone, only then we were released. They handed our vehicle back later and allowed us to proceed to Ukhrul. By that time, it was already 1 am, Monday.”
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“Fearing for our life we did not report to the police on time. However, on Tuesday, we have lodged a complaint to the police through the SP of Ukhrul,” added one of the victims.
The three victims were taken to Ukhrul District Hospital for medical check up on Tuesday only after the incident came to light with the victims who complained of chest pain. After examination by the doctor, they were released on the same day. Medical report said two of the victims bore bruise over the whole buttock, and the other on the right arm and right legs.
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Ukhrul Police has registered an FIR No. 25(12)2023/UKL-PS, u/s 339/352/326/338/153-A/34-IPC & 25(1-b) Arms Acts over the incident on Tuesday.
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It may be mentioned that stranded Tangkhul students mostly from Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) and Manipur University at the same location in Sawombung, Imphal during early May 2023 came under several attacks, greeted by burning tyres, stone pelting, sticks, air-gun, sling-shot en-route Imphal-Ukhrul from unidentified miscreants, suspected to be Meiteis in Imphal East Friday night. The students were being evacuated from Assam Rifles transit camp in Imphal when the ongoing Manipur ethnic conflict erupted.
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