Following Thursday’s scuffle between protesters opposing the Manipur Sangai Festival and security personnel, the office of Manipur’s Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba has alleged that a senior IPS officer “barged into” his residential compound and threatened his security personnel. However, police denied that the officer entered the premises and stated that the house guards “hindered police efforts” by sheltering protesters, one of whom allegedly assaulted the officer.
The Manipur Sangai Festival – the state’s biggest tourism festival – begins today after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing conflict in the state. However, plans for the festival have been met with resistance from a section of people displaced by the conflict and civil society organisations based in the Manipur valley, who have sought the resettlement of displaced persons, free movement and “peace and normalcy first”.
On Thursday, a protest rally led by civil society organisation COCOMI was stopped by security personnel, resulting in a scuffle during which police had to resort to baton charge and teargas, leaving three protesters injured.
In a statement, the Manipur police said that the movement of the protesters was in violation of prohibitory orders issued by the District Magistrate, Imphal East. It said IGP (Zone-I) Themthing Ngashangva, the officer accused by the MP’s office, was supervising the situation. Police said that while they were dispersing the crowd, a protester assaulted Ngashangva and that the crowd moved towards the Palace premises, where the house guards let them in. MP Sanajaoba is the grandson of Maharaja Bodhchandra, Manipur’s last ruler, and is the titular king of Manipur.
“Security personnel made repeated attempts to stop and peacefully disperse the protesters. Ngashangva, IPS, was on the scene supervising the situation. Police teams, including women personnel, repeatedly tried to stop and disperse the group. However, the mob turned violent, throwing water bottles and placards at the police. A woman protester assaulted the IGP and used derogatory racial slurs (Ngashangva is from the state’s Naga community) while he was performing his duty. The mob later moved toward the Palace premises, where house guards of the Hon’ble MP allowed them inside, hindering police efforts. The IGP approached the gate to question the action of the house guards. He did not enter the premises of the palace,” the police said.
However, the personal assistant to the MP has written to the Governor complaining about Ngashangva and asking that he be suspended. The letter alleges that Ngashangva had “barged into” the compound and “threatened the security personnel of the MP that he will file an FIR against them by charging that the Hon’ble MP is responsible for organising a rally of the IDP by sheltering them and giving them refuge. He also shouted at and threatened the security personnel of the Hon’ble MP.” The letter also states, “The residential compound of the Hon’ble MP is also the Royal Palace (Konung) of the state of Manipur, which is considered a holy place.”
Manipur police have stated that a criminal case has been registered for offences including assault on a public servant, obstruction of duty, breaching security barricades, use of racial slurs, and unauthorised movement toward a protected premises, and that they are trying to identify the protester who allegedly assaulted Ngashangva. “The Manipur Police reiterates that personnel on duty acted with restraint and professionalism, and that only the minimum force necessary was used to restore order,” it stated.
