HC okays April 13 homage

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 11: The High Court of Manipur has given the green signal to organise an event of paying tributes to the nine people who were killed in a gun battle with security forces on April 13, 1982.
Notably, family members petitioned the High Court of Manipur seeking permission to pay floral tributes to the nine deceased individuals at their Cheiraoching memorial complex on April 13.
After perusing the petition, the High Court gave permission for offering floral tributes at the memorial.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, Advocate Ningombam Gojen who represented the petitioners said that the State Government has been prohibiting offering of floral tributes to the nine individuals on the ground that their deaths were related to insurgency.
The petitioners challenged the State Government’s prohibition at the High Court.
This year too, family members filed a writ petition appealing the High Court of Manipur to allow them and other relatives of the deceased to offer floral tributes at the Cheiraoching memorial, Advocate Gojen said.
After hearing the writ petition on March 29, the High Court of Manipur passed an order which says that family members, relatives and well wishers may offer floral tributes to the nine deceased at their Cheiraoching memorial.
The High Court’s order also mentioned that the the commemorative event should be done in compliance with the Covid-19 protocol issued by the Government, Advocate Gojen said.
He then appealed to all family members, relatives and well wishers to come forward and offer floral tributes to the deceased individuals without any sense of fear on April 13 by adhering to the Covid-19 protocol.
Naorem Ibohalbi who is one of the petitioners said that the High Court of Manipur has given permission to organise an event of offering floral tributes at the memorial which is located atop Cheiraoching, Thangmeiband on April 13 as done every year.
He then appealed to all sections of people not to call any bandh or blockade on April 13.