In a shocking incident on Wednesday afternoon, a self-proclaimed BJP Karyakarta allegedly vandalised state government property at the DIPR office in Imphal and assaulted two media persons, including a female reporter, inside the DIPR auditorium.
The accused has been identified as one Meitram Sanatomba Meetei alias Sana Meitra, 44, son of late M Ibopishak of Sega Road Takhelembam Leikai, Imphal West.
According to eyewitnesses, Sanatomba used Chief Minister Biren Singh’s name while carrying out the acts of vandalism. The eyewitnesses stated that the accused targeted government property such as the Wi-Fi router and wires.
The victims of the assault included a non-local mediaperson from a national news channel stationed in Imphal, who was covering the ongoing unrest in Manipur, and a female reporter from an Imphal-based web portal.
According to the non-local mediaperson, the accused interrupted their conversation in Hindi with one of his colleagues inside the auditorium, demanding that they speak in the local language.
“Subsequently, the guy accused us of biased news reports and started manhandling me while asking everyone in the room to go out. He also spoke through a phone stating it was the chief minister,” he said, adding, “later he started vandalising the government properties shouting it is the chief minister’s instruction”.
After the assault and vandalism, the accused locked the auditorium and left the office campus with the key, as per eye witnesses. He, however, was swiftly apprehended by the police, who subsequently placed him in custody at the City police station.
The victims have lodged an FIR with the City police station, detailing the incident.
The motive behind Sanatomba’s actions remains unclear at the time of filing the report, and investigations are underway to determine if he had any affiliations or motives beyond the imposter act, as per police .
Meanwhile, the victims and other eyewitnesses called on CM Biren at his secretariat in Imphal.
During the meeting, the chief minister personally clarified that he was not related with the accused and had not given any such instruction, as stated by the accused.
To prevent such unwanted incidents in the future, the chief minister assured to deploy security and impose restrictions of entry at the DIPR.
Till the filing of this report, the BJP was yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
