Imphal: Several people were injured when Assam Rifles personnel resorted to tear gas shelling, blank firing and lathi charge to disperse protesters objecting to the setting up of an ‘unauthorised’ Assam Rifles outpost in the New Heaven area of Shokvao village in Ukhrul district on Sunday.According to local sources, around 20 people, mostly women, were injured in the confrontation.Police sources said the incident occurred between 3pm and 4 pm on Sunday, when protesters gathered along the Imphal-Ukhrul road and blocked the passage of the forces.A villager, on the condition of anonymity, said the villagers opposed the setting up of the AR outpost as the village authority was not consulted. “Besides, there is apparently a lack of trust towards the Assam Rifles,” he said. He clarified that the villagers are not opposing the deployment of security forces, but any construction or setting up of outpost without consultation of the village authority will not be acceptable.Sources said the outpost was planned following continuing tensions between the Naga and Kuki groups in Ukhrul district since Feb.Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), the apex student body of the Tangkhul community, has condemned the Assam Rifles for the alleged “assault on the president of Katho Katamnao Long (KKL), the intimidation of unarmed women through the use of live rounds and the suppression of a peaceful democratic protest at Shokvao Village in connection with the illegal establishment of an Assam Rifles outpost on village land”.“The Assam Rifles has shown blatant disregard for the rights of landowners and the authority of the village by forcefully establishing an outpost in a Naga village without consent, thereby directly violating the rights, dignity and customary governance of the people. Such unilateral action defies established village authority systems and stands in complete disregard of the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956, under which village councils are legally empowered over community land and resources,” it said in a statement.The TKS also questioned the alleged selective conduct of the Assam Rifles, which is accused of acting aggressively against unarmed civilians while failing to address armed violence and unlawful activities carried out by Kuki militant groups, including attacks along NH-202, which continue to destabilise peace and security in the region.TKS urged the concerned authorities to immediately conduct an impartial and time-bound investigation and ensure exemplary punishment against all Assam Rifles personnel involved in the incident.
