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Centre concerned at Manipur NSA detentions: citizens’ team

A Correspondent

IMPHAL: The Union Home Ministry has reportedly expressed concern over rampant arrests and detentions under the National Security Act (NSA) in Manipur. Home Secretary G.K. Pillai has conveyed the Centre’s concern to K.S. Subramanian, a former IPS officer, who is a member of the Independent Citizens’ Fact Finding Team which a submitted a report on police excesses in the wake of the protracted agitation for the resignation of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and punishment to the police commandos involved in the July 23 “fake encounter” in Imphal city, in which one pregnant woman and a former militant were killed.

Mr. Pillai informed Mr. Subramanian that the Centre ordered the Manipur government to revoke the NSA detention of 10 persons including an elderly woman, who were arrested on the charge of involvement in agitations.

Concerned over the situation in Manipur, where educational institutions remained closed for nearly three months, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram summoned Mr. Ibobi Singh on November 18.

The Independent Citizens’ Fact Finding Team had come to Imphal recently to make a spot assessment.

Other members are Sumit Chakravartty, Editor, Mainstream; Kavita Srivastava, national secretary, People’s Union for Civil Liberties; and Vasundhara Jairath of the Delhi Solidarity Group.

Apart from releasing a booklet, “Democracy Encountered: Rights violations in Manipur” on November 23, the team submitted a report to the Union Minister. It alleged that the NSA had been misused by the Manipur government to silence democratic opposition. “This year alone over 300 people were killed in ‘encounters’ which were never followed up with inquiries. There are over 600 persons in prison in Imphal and out of them 140 are NSA detainees,” it said.

Meanwhile, the All-Manipur Students Union (AMSU), the Manipur Students Federation (MSF) and the Kangleipak Students Association (KSA), in a press release, said all entertainment programmes in the State would be “banned” from November 30. Besides, officials and contractors should stop all construction works from Saturday. The “ban” would remain in force until the goals were achieved.

At the instance of the agitationists, witnesses refrained from submitting affidavits before the judicial commission headed by Justice G.P. Agarwal, retired judge of the Gauhati High Court, which is inquiring into the “fake encounter.”

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