Womenfolk storm Court, arrested

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 18:  13 women were remanded to custody of Lamphel police till May 21, after they attacked and destroyed properties of Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal East Court room today.
The incident occurred today afternoon after the wife of Khunjamayum Arun, Helen, was taken away from Lamphel Court complex by security escort after her routine appearance before the Court in connection with the murder of case her husband.
From early morning onward, a large number of womenfolk as well as members of the JAC formed in connection with the murder of Kh Arun, began gathering at the Court complex after getting information that Helen and her paramour N Rabi, Pradhan of Bamon Kampu Gram Panchayat, would be produced from Manipur Central Jail and Sajiwa Jail respectively.
Looking after the situation, a large number of Imphal West district police and commando team were deployed at the Court complex to prevent any kind of unwanted incidents.
Later, at around noon, Helen was brought to the Court complex by security escort for her routine appearance but looking after the situation she was not brought down from the prisoner van.
On the other hand, as CJM Imphal East was on leave today, necessary paper work of the case was carried out by CJM in-charge Imphal East who remanded Helen into further judicial custody till June 1.
The situation turned ugly after the police tried to take away the accused wife from the Court complex. Angry locals, womenfolk and JAC members tried to block the prisoner van and also pelted stones and water bottles but the prisoner van managed to escape from the Court complex.
Angered, the large number of irate locals then marched toward Special ND&PS Court Manipur and CJM Imphal East and attacked the Courts by pelting stones. They also broke the windows of the two Courts.
The police personnel who were deployed at the area, tried to intervene and control the situation but the angry womenfolk overpowered and forcefully went inside the Court room and laid waste to the Court room.
The angry JAC members also attacked one male advocate who tried control the situation, for allegedly using harsh words and shouting towards the angry mob for resorting to such actions in the Court complex.
Soon, a large number of police team lead by Imphal West SP K Meghachandra came up to Lamphel Court complex and dispersed the mob successfully, but not before  taking 13 womenfolk into custody for their alleged involvement in the attack.
Session Judge Imphal East Maibam Manojkumar also arrived at the incident site and look after the situation and the Session Judge also questioned how such an incident could happen in the Court despite the presence of strong security measures.
Speaking to media persons at the incident site, Imphal West SP said that more than 10 persons who are allegedly involved in the attack have been taken into custody and further investigation is on to find who planned the attack upon the Court.
Those who are involved in the incident will not be spared  and they will be arrested after an FIR is lodged against them. He also assured that the district police will take up steps to prevent further such kind of incident in the Court in the future.
President in-charge of All Manipur Bar Association, condemned such an attack upon the Court and termed it as an attack upon the judiciary system.
He also alleged that it is due to the sloppiness of the police personnel deployed in Lamphel that the mob was not controlled properly in time before the situation worsened.
He also said that the act of angry locals and JAC members is totally against the law of the land.
The arrested womenfolk were produced before the Court of Duty Magistrate Imphal West late in the evening and remanded into police custody till May  21.