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Guwahati : Manipur police on Sunday had suspended four police personnel including a Sub-Inspector, who were present while a 26-year-old youth was lynched to death by a mob on suspicion of being bike thief on September 13 last.
A top official of Manipur police said that, an inquiry has been initiated after a video of the incident showed that, armed police personnel were present at the spot when the victim was still alive.
On September 13 last, 26-year-old MBA student Farooq Ahmed Khan hailing from Lilong Haoreibi area in Thoubal district was attacked by a mob at Tharoijam Awang Leikai under Lamsgang assembly constituency in Imphal West district.
The incident was happened when Farooq and his two friends were travelled in the area on September 13 morning.
The mob had torched the car in which Khan and his two friends were travelling.
Two others with Khan had managed to escape from the area.
Locals alleged that, the youths were caught by the villagers when they were stealing a two-wheeler from the area.
Following the incident Manipur police had registered a case under section 302,117 and 34 of IPC and arrested five people in connection with the incident.
Manipur police said that, investigation is going on and 13 people who attacked the youth have been identified and will be arrested soon.
On the other hand, different groups of the north eastern state have asked the state government to conduct a proper investigation into the incident.
The Manipur Human Rights Commission has also registered a suo moto case and directed the Director General of Police of Manipur to submit a report by
September 22.
On the other, members of the Joint Action Committee formed against the mob lynching incident on Sunday met Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and signed a memorandum of agreement with the state government.
According to the memorandum of agreement, the state government will suspend the erring police personnel, who are on duty, as visible in video clips circulated in social media, immediately. Depratmental enquiry against the erring police personnel will be completed, as per procedure, preferably within a period of one month.
“Maximum efforts will be made to arrest the remaining absconding persons who are seen to be involved in the mob lynching of Farooq Khan in the video clips, at earliest. A masscondemnation programme against mob justice will be held across the state on an appointed date, with participation of people irrespective of religion, caste or community with the objective of creating public awareness against this social evil. Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police will be entrusted with the responsibility of mobilising the public for the same,” said in the memorandum of agreement.
Earlier, a mob had attacked two people on suspicion of being child lifters in the state in July last.
On June 8 last, the youths hailing from Guwahati were beaten to death by locals in the name of child kidnapper (locally called xupadhora) at Panjuri Kacharigaon village near Kangthailangso under Dokmoka police station in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
