Following a report of harassment of Dr Larung Mejonah belonging to the Maring tribe, allegedly by police personnel at Konung Mamang in Imphal on Friday night around 9 pm, several tribal bodies, including student and medical bodies, have condemned the act.
Vehemently condemning the alleged mishandling of forum member and medical officer, Dr Larung Mejonah by Manipur Police personnel on Friday, the All Naga Doctors’ Forum, Manipur, on Saturday alleged that six or seven groups of Manipur Police stopped Dr Larung at Palace Compound around 9 pm on Friday and asked for vehicle documents which he produced promptly.
A release jointly issued by the Forum’s president, Dr M Shyami Tarao and general secretary Dr Ngulani KS, stated that Dr Larung identified himself as a doctor, stating that he was currently posted in Moreh Hospital as Medical Officer, Manipur Health Services, to which the police allegedly replied ‘Then I could even kill you’ to him, it asserted. It claimed that they mishandled and detained him for an hour.
It condemned such untoward and unprofessional manhandling, abuse of power, intimidation and death threat by one state employee to another, and termed it as highly inappropriate. It further demanded the authorities concerned to book the personnel involved in the incident and suspended them from duty.
Meanwhile, All Tangkhul Medicos Association (ATMA) also condemned the alleged harassment of medical officer and member of All Naga Doctors’ Forum Manipur Dr Larung Mejonah by Manipur Police personnel at Palace Compound on Friday night.
ATMA president, Dr Wormi Sharon and secretary, Dr Kanmi N, in a joint release on Saturday also briefed details of the incident.
It expressed discontentment over the alleged harassment by uniformed police personnel on duty to a doctor, working amid the prevailing tense situation and asserted that such an act is condemnable at the highest level.
It demanded the authorities concerned to book the personnel involved in intimidation, death threat and abuse of power.
The office of the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) also strongly condemned the behavior of the Manipur police personnel with ‘death threat and xenophobic language’.
Such mounting communal hatred disharmony in the state by the state force who are to protect its people is very unfortunate and such hatred polarization has amplified day by day and the surge continues stronger in the midst of this prevailing situation in the state, Wilpelngam Nula, vice president of ANSAM stated in a press release.
ANSAM also expressed their disappointment over the incident stating that “the peace loving society put our heads down in shame to witness such an intolerable incident from the law enforcing agencies itself.”
The association also appealed to the competent authority of the state to take disciplinary action against those irresponsible police personnel and suspension or termination orders should be published so as to avoid any such untoward incident in the future.
The Maring Uparap Assembly (MUA), the apex body of the Maring tribe, also condemned the incident and stated that while performing their duty is appreciated and cooperated accordingly, what is shocking was the use of odious words like “Chingmi oiradi loisinba yare” and more other harassing words by State Police personnel.
A condemnation released by K. Yaima Koshil, president, MUA and L Modun Charanga, General Secretary, MUA stated that he was mishandled by taking him to a corner and questioned under intimidation. This very uncivilized act of State police which is communally infuriating cannot be accepted especially considering the efforts of Hon’ble CM and all other stakeholders to bring peace in our State, the MUA stated.
All Zeliangrong Medicos Union also condemned the incident stating that amid the existing adversity prevailing in the state, doctors require the full cooperation and support from the law enforcement agency to provide our service.
Such an inappropriate, unprofessional act and misconduct, abuse of power and intimidation, is highly denounced.
The Senapati District Doctor’s Association also condemned the incident stating that such an act from a law enforcing agency cannot be accepted nor taken lightly.
Dr Anthony Kashing, information and publicity secretary of the association stated that the association is hurt by such acts of the state police and condemned the same.
Doctors sacrifice their lives to serve the people of the state and to be treated in that manner amidst the chaos in the state cannot be accepted, Dr Anthony said, and called on the concerned authorities to take action against the culprits.
The Naga Students’ Union, Chandel (NSUC) and its federating units have also strongly condemned the mishandling of a Naga doctor allegedly by Manipur police on Friday night around 9 pm.
Despite showing documents when asked and even telling the police that he was a doctor, currently posted in Moreh Hospital as Medical Officer under Manipur Health Services, he was detained for an hour and even mishandled. They even threatened to kill him, the NSUC alleged.
Vehemently condemning the incident, the apex body of the Naga students of Chandel stated that an assault and a threat on a Medical Officer will not be taken lightly. Doctors need our support and cooperation in such times as this as they are sacrificing their lives to work for the people of the state amidst the prevailing situation.
The NSUC also demanded the concerned authorities to book the Manipur Police personnel allegedly involved in the incident and be suspended from their duty.
