IT News
Imphal, June 7,
Tension runs high between locals of two neighbouring village in Kairang area in Imphal East, after an alleged drug peddler, who sustained serious injury in mob action, succumbed to his injury on the way to hospital yesterday evening at around 11 pm.
Large number of people from the locality of the deceased vandalized 2 houses belonging to two members of the Anti Drug Committee today morning. Two of its members, Md. Punaam and Md. Achou Shah of Keirang, who took the alleged drug peddler injured in the mob action for treatment at the Hospital located near Heingang Police Station, were detained in police custody and another 10 members including President of the Anti drug body were also pulled up by the police today morning.
Large number of locals and relatives of the deceased vandalized the office of the ‘Anti Drug Joint Committee, Kairang, Khudok, Khabeisoi’ located at Kairang Mamang Leikai and two of the houses – one belonging to Md. Punaam who is in police custody and another belonging to Md. Ibohal Shah, President of Anti Drug Committee. Following the news large number of state security force rushed to the site to contain the situation. As the situation was hostile the security team fired several rounds of gun shots in the air and fire tear gas shell to disperse the mob.
The victim identified as Md. Abdul Helim Shah (61) son of late Abdul Majid , a resident of Khumidok Jama Masjid Maning, which comes under the jurisdiction of Khurai Assembly Constituency was reportedly picked up by the organization – ‘Anti Drug Joint Committee, Kairang, Khudok, Khabeisoi’ at around 11 pm yesterday. Report said that the Anti drug Committee members has been keeping strict vigil in and around the area after receiving complaints about the presence of drug peddlers in the area. It added that two drug addicts were rounded up by the committee last night at around 10 pm and on their revelation it was known that Md. Abdul Helim Shah was the man they were looking for quite some time. The members of the Anti Drug Committee hauled him and interrogated him at PYA ground at Kairang. During the course of the interrogation some of the members turned hostile and started assaulting him resulting serious injury. It was at that time that some among them intervene and took him to the hospital at Heingang. The two persons (drug users) who were caught were reportedly set free after they identified the peddlers.
The report further said that following the news about the dead of the alleged drug peddler and subsequent arrest of the two members, a meeting was convened today morning to discuss the issue. As the meeting was attended by locals from both localities – one belonging to Heingang Assembly Constituency and the other Khurai Assembly Constituency differences of opinion put the meeting into a chaotic situation. While some opines for staging a rally against the dead terming it as mob action some refused on the ground that they don’t need any such rally.
The confrontation began and turning the situation into hostilities. The office of the Anti Drug Joint Committee, Kairang, Khudok, Khabeisoi’ was vandalized and turn to another house but the arrival of security team on time prevented further untoward incident.
