Imphal: Scuffle erupted between two groups of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) trainees from Manipur at Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Golaghat district of Assam Saturday night. 7 Manipur trainees reportedly sustained injuries in the incident. A video went viral on social media showing one injured trainee belonging to Meitei community who allegedly claimed that he was attacked with a knife by trainees belonging to another community. Trainees expressed worry that such incident may hinder their training.
Assam Police immediately intervened and contained the situation. The trainees have been warned to follow instructions and protocols of training institute from drill to discipline to decorum and that any aberrant behaviour would be corrected through tough training measures.
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Assam DGP GP Singh in a post on X informed, “Today evening there was a scuffle between the trainees from Manipur at Lachit Barphukan Police Academy over distribution of dinner. The matter is now resolved. The Range IGP and DIG Training are with the boys.”
The DGP in another tweet said, “Reference scuffle at Police Academy at Dergaon Assam amongst young trainees from Manipur – They’ve been briefed in no uncertain terms to follow instructions and protocols of training institute from drill to discipline to decorum. No scope would be presented to anyone to deviate from the principles that guide training in our Academy. Any aberrant Behaviour would be corrected through tough training measures.”
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Meanwhile, senior officer from Manipur police, M. Pradip Singh, IPS is being deputed to Dergaon on Sunday to take stock of the situation. Press statement from Manipur police said the matter is being monitored by Manipur Police on real time basis and situation is under control.
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It may be mentioned that the Manipur Government released the long-awaited results of 10th and 11th IRB recruitment examination results in October, 2022 months before the Manipur violence erupted on May 3 last year. Altogether 1,830 candidates were selected for appointment in order of merit as Rifleman in Manipur Police Department subject to police verification and medical examination reports. Amid the ongoing restive situation in Manipur, the state government decided to conduct training of these new recruits in Assam. The government initially planned road travel for altogether 1,724 new recruits. But after parents of these new recruits and civil bodies expressed concern over their safety as the by-road route passed through Kuki-inhabitants areas in the wake of ongoing ethnic conflicts, the state government in its final decision transported them to the neighbouring state for training on IAF plane in January this year.
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The Assam DGP also shared a video over X, “Boys are now enjoying a musical evening.”
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