ATSUM-T demands action against erring police officers
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, April 22 2014: Terming the act of police officers and their team involved in the detaining of an ambulance carrying a patient and mentally harassing the driver at gun point on April 16 between Churachandpur and Imphal as an insult to the tribal community and a grave violation of human rights, All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM-T) led by Muan Tombing has demanded appropriate actions against the erring police officers.

The students' body has also declared to take up various forms of measure to initiate the concerned authorities to give befitting punishments to the police officers.

While speaking to the media persons at the student union's office here today, Muan Tombing stated that on April 16, one patient identified as Letkhotinthang Haokip, s/o Thangsei Haokip of Champhai village of Churachandpur was brought from a hospital to Imphal on referral.

On their way at Moirang, a police team led by DSP Bishnupur, Sushil Singh and officer-in-charge Surjaboro of Moirang police station halted the ambulance carrying the patient and further detained it for more than an hour at Zeuhang Lamka near Churachandpur police station.

Not only keeping the patient who was on life and death situation, but the driver who was on government duty was also mentally harassed at gun point without any reason, the ATSUM president alleged.

The students' body then questioned why the police, who should be protecting the lives of the people be turned into a team of antagonists against the public and that Manipur is not Somalia, where the people should be living in extreme fear.

"Moreover, even during insurgencies or war, medical emergencies and ambulances are given free way passage, so why such act was meted out to the poor patient and the driver carrying him?", Muan Tombing asked.

The students' body has therefore urged the concerned authorities to deal with the matter and provide befitting punishment to the persons involved.