GUWAHATI: The Manipur Police on Thursday warned that if the force is not allowed to perform its normal duties, the government might be compelled to deploy central forces and impose Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the strife-torn state.
Condemning Tuesday’s “life attempt” on Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Moirangthem Amit Singh and other personnel by armed members of the Meitei radical group Arambai Tenggol, Inspector General, K Kabib requested the citizens of the state to not support such acts.
“If the police are threatened, then we will not be able to work. In that event, all issues such as insurgency, AFSPA will come up. The armed forces will also come,” Kabib warned addressing a press conference in Imphal.
Barring 19 police station areas in the Imphal valley, AFSPA is imposed in the rest of the state.
“It is the police who have the advantage of knowing the local public. We request all citizens to help us. Do not take law into your hand. It will create more problems,” Kabib said.
Fellow IGP, IK Muivah said if the police are not able to do their normal duties due to lack of cooperation from the public or obstruction from civil society and other organisations, then the central security forces would have to come in to assist.
“That means CRPF, BSF, Assam Rifles, Army will have to come in and assist. This will result in a situation which will be far more undesirable,” he said.
Commandos in several districts of the Imphal valley had on Wednesday staged a symbolic “arms down” protest against the attack on the ASP.
The police said the assailants had also intimidated the ASP’s family members by firing bullets, vandalising the house and properties. The police said Singh was abducted, beaten up and later, released after timely intervention by the department.
Stating that concocted narratives are being circulated leading to the ASP’s character assassination and that of the police department, the police warned that the use of social media to target any officer or unit and physical attack on any personnel would be strongly dealt with.
The police said they received information on February 27 about the stealing/snatching of two cars by armed miscreants and later, Singh and some other personnel intercepted the vehicles and arrested one person for his involvement in the incident.
“The members of Arambai Tenggol carried out the targeted attack on the officers for lawful discharge of duties,” the police said.
They added that the group was garnering false support from the public in the garb of protecting them but in the process, assaulting civilians, snatching vehicles from government officials and extorting common public and businessmen.
