No threat made to Binalakshmi by police: IGP

Imphal, May 14: The state police has categorically refused the allegations of harassment leveled against the department by human rights activist Binalakshmi Nepram who had asserted that a heavily armed police team came to her maternal home and threatened her and family members in her absence on Friday.  
Clarifying on the issue Inspector General of Police Clay Khongsai did agree that a team of SDPO Imphal went to the activist’s maternal residence at Sagolband Nepra Menjor Leikai but said it was purely an official visit to seek her statement in connection with a suo moto case concerning the alleged threat to Utsav Singh Bains, a Supreme Court advocate, by militants.
The investigating officer went to meet Binalakshmi and take her statement as she was one of the two persons known to be closest to the advocate who had left the state without meeting the IO and recording his statement, Khongsai said. He specifically mentioned that only the IO proceeded to her house and met family members while the rest of the police personnel stayed guard outside. The team returned after finding that she was not present there and during the brief stay there was no incident of issuing threats or using other forms of intimidation to the people present in her house, the IGP said dismissing such rumours doing rounds in the social media as totally false.  
According to Khongsai, Bains had agreed to give an appointment with the IO at Manipur High Court complex. But when the IO reached there he was already gone. Subsequently, police searched for his acquaintances and closed down on two names. One was Binalakshmi and the other was Naoroibam Ratan alias Kapu from Heingang. Police also went to his residence to record his statement. Unfortunately, the mission too proved unprofitable as Ratan was reported to be out of station, Khongsai stated.