Imphal: A police team that went to apprehend suspects in a murder case was allegedly attacked by a group of people in Manipur’s Thoubal district, wounding as many as 10 police personnel besides damaging eight police vehicles, according to police.
In a follow up action, the police apprehended as many as 10 persons allegedly involved in the attack after a clash that also damaged as many as six houses, reports said.
The violent clash between the police and local residents of Moijing Awang Leikai under Thoubal police station occurred on Friday night.
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Reports said that a combined team of Heingang police station of Imphal East district and Thoubal police station of Thoubal district went to the locality on Friday evening to apprehend persons suspected to have been involved in a case registered with Heingang police station in connection with murder of a youth.
The police team went to apprehend the suspects involved in the killing of a youth identified as Md Mustakim who was shot to death on February 24 at Kairang and alleged attempt to kill a driver identified as Md Noor Khan at Tezpur in Imphal East district on March 2 night.
The police team apprehended one of the suspects identified as Md Sirajuddin of Moijing on Friday night, around 6.30 pm.
However, when the police team came out of the locality with the apprehended suspect, a large number of the residents pelted stones towards the police, injuring some police personnel besides damaging windshields of the two police vehicles, the police also said.
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As the situation went out of control, additional police force from Thoubal district headquarters rushed to the spot and resorted to firing of several rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs.
However, the mob took away the apprehended suspect along with his friend.
After the situation was brought under control, with reinforcement police teams, the police conducted an operation to nab the suspects once again late at night.
When the police started a house to house search operation, the residents once again allegedly attacked the police personnel with stones and other deadly weapons.
In the mob attack, some more police personnel sustained injuries and also damaged six more police vehicles.
The police also resorted to firing tear gas shells and mock bombs to take control of the situation. In the police action, damages were caused to at least six houses.
After hours of tussle, the police took control of the situation and also apprehended 10 persons allegedly involved in the attack on police personnel on duty.
The police, however, could not arrest the suspects including the one who was earlier picked up.
The police said that in the melee, 10 police personnel sustained injuries. Eight vehicles were also damaged.
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Among the several residents injured in the retaliatory action of the police, three of them were rushed to Thoubal district hospital with critical injuries, the report said.
Meanwhile, residents strongly condemned the police while alleging that the locals protested as the police acted excessively in their efforts to nab the suspects.
Alleging that many of the apprehended residents were youths appearing in the ongoing Class-X and Class-XII final exams, they demanded immediate release.
They further alleged the police of ransacking belongings of the houses in the name of searching for the suspects and also used real bullets to take control of the situation.
Meanwhile, anorther police source said that the apprehended 10 persons were taken into custody by the Thoubal police station after registering a case against them.
An investigation has also been initiated regarding last night’s violent incidents, the police added.
NNN
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