Imphal, Jan 16: A mob in Jiribam chased a team of 22nd battalion Assam Rifles personnel coming to hand over an arrested person to Manipur Police who the local people claimed was an innocent civilian, police said today.
Police burst tear gas shells to disperse the mob. No injuries were reported during the incident. Enraged locals of Jiribam town near Assam, about 222 km west of here, chased Assam Rifles personnel in their vehicles while they were coming to hand over Moirangthem Bijen (40) whom they had picked up for questioning on Monday from Jiribam yesterday.
The mob stopped the vehicles and dragged out Bijen who was allegedly severely beaten up while in custody of the Assam Rifles personnel, official sources said.
The local people then turned on Assam Rifles personnel and became violent, sources said adding that police burst tear gas shells to disperse the mob but no one was injured.
Since the situation became tense, the additional deputy commissioner of Jiribam Y Iboyaima and additional superintendent of police O Major rushed to the spot and held
talks with the local public leaders, official reports from Jiribam said adding that the enraged people were later dispersed by the police.
Shops and markets were closed for several hours yesterday due to the incident, reports said. Meanwhile, Bijen was taken to Jiribam government hospital where his condition remained serious, sources said.
