A violent mob torched public property, including a bus, outside the SP office in Churachandpur district of strife-torn Manipur as they tried to storm the police building on Thursday evening.
Manipur Violence: At least one person was killed and over two dozen others were injured after a violent mob attempted to storm the SP office in Churachandpur district of violence-torn Manipur on Thursday, hours after a head constable from the Kuki-Zo community was suspended over a viral video in which he was seen posing with “armed miscreants”.
“A mob numbering approximately 300-400 attempted to storm the office of SP CCP today, pelting stone, etc. The SF (security forces) including RAF is responding appropriately by firing tear gas shell to control the situation. Things are under watch,” Manipur Police wrote on X.
According to reports, the mob set ablaze a bus and other structures outside the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Chandrachur district as they raised slogans demanding the reinstatement of head constable Simalpaul who was suspended after visuals of him posing in a bunker of “armed miscreants” and “village defence volunteers” atop a hill, went viral.
https://twitter.com/VladAdiReturns/status/1758185543886913890
At least one person is reportedly dead, while as many as 25 others have sustained injuries as security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse the raging mob which tried to break into the district police chief’s office.
In one of the videos, the protesters can also be seen vandalizing an office, however, India.com could not verify the details or the location of the place seen in the clip. The rioters also allegedly took down the Tricolor, however, these claims could not be verified.
Is Vandalism of a Government office normal in Churachandpur? Is there a Rule of Law in Churachandpur? This is the unraveling of a 9 month long separatist agenda engineered by the Kuki Zo militants. Picture abhi baki hai mere dost! Humare Tiranga ko bhi niche kar diye, ab kya kya… pic.twitter.com/veMeabbzdn
— Dhiraj Luwang Vlogs (@dhiraj_luwang) February 15, 2024
Visuals shared on social media showed the mob engaging in arson and vandalism as they torched a bus and some public property outside the SP office.
Central forces are being chased out from Churachandpur, public property are set ablazed by Kuki Zo Separatist. They even disrespected our Indian Tricolour by dehoisting it in the chaotic situation in Churachandpur. #KukiTerrorists_pulled_down_Tricolor… pic.twitter.com/Js84I7tpr2
— Dhiraj Luwang Vlogs (@dhiraj_luwang) February 15, 2024
Kuki cop suspended after viral selfie with ‘armed men’
Earlier, officials said that head constable Siamlalpaul was kept “under suspension with immediate effect until further orders” by Churachandpur SP Shivanand Surve after a video of him with “armed men” and “sitting together with village volunteers” went viral on social media.
“A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14,” the suspension order by the Churachandpur SP read.
“This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force,” it added.
Siamlalpaul has been asked not to “leave the station without prior permission” and “his pay and allowances have been restricted to subsistence allowance admissible as per the rules”, it said.
(With PTI inputs)