IRB/police raid-team accused of stealing

Lamka, June 02: A combined team of the IRB and Police commandos from Bishnupur who conducted raids at New Lamka, Vengnuam yesterday afternoon took away lots of household articles including bags of rice, wall clock, inverters with batteries, pressure cookers, gas cylinders etc, sources said. Even toothbrushes, combs, cushion covers and clothes including under-wears were taken, Ms Chingngaihvung, the house lady informed today. They also damaged a suit case, almirah and gas stoves, she added. It may be mentioned that the security team had raided a house belonging to one H Mangboi at Veng-nuam and picked up about five men from the area. The team came directly from Bishnupur and all the arrested persons were also taken to Bishnupur. Sources from the CCpur Police said that they were not informed of the incident. None of the apprehended persons were also handed over to the police station here till in the evening. The raiding team also assaulted some innocent civilians in front of Vengnuam EBC Church on their way down. Three persons viz.Mr Ginminlian who is a church musician, Vumzalian who is Chowkidar in the church and choir member Mr Donglalsiam sustain ed injuries as a result of the assault, a press release by the Evangelical Baptist Convention (EBC), Vengnuam said today. Sources said all persons in the vicinity were made to stand on the road with hands up in the rain for a long time. While it is the duty of the security forces to maintain order and fight insurgency, it is also their responsibility to respect the rights of innocent law-abiding citizens and uphold the principles of secularism, it said. The release also added that the raiding security party entered inside the church and damaged some furniture. condemning the disrespect shown to the Church by the security forces, the release demand-ed appropriate action against the erring personnel and hope that an ugly incident like this will not happen again. In another release, the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) today refuted the claims of the security forces of apprehending 12/ 13 cadres of the ZRA and termed it as a mere publicity stunt for gaining selfish ends. It said that the 12 men allegedly taken away by the IRB/Police commando part-y have no relation whatso- ever with the organisation and added that the men were innocent daily wage earners coming from distant villages who neither understand English nor Mani- puri. The release went on to say that the IRB/ Police commando team stole a private Maruti Van (MN 02- 6858), telephone, cell-phone, inverter sets with batteries, CD player, stabiliser, a bag of rice and a cash of over Rs 1 lakh, among others, in the course of the raid. It demanded that the innocent civilians arrested be released and all properties seized be returned immediately. The ZRA also ques- tioned the sincerity of the government in inviting all armed groups in the north east for dialogue given these disturbing circumstances and said that the central and state forces seem to be having conflicting policies in trying to solve the insurgency problem. While central forces are taking up civic action programs, the state forces takes delight in displaying their brutality at every opportune moment, it said. Saying that the ZRA always maintained optimum restraint against the security forces so far even when provoked, the release warned that the organisation may be compelled to act to stop the security forces from committing such condemnable acts if they do not stop such mindless behaviour, it said.