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After woman IPS officer alleges harassment, Manipur requests for state force at checkposts
Assam Rifles had in a statement refuted the IPS officer’s allegation terming it “baseless, fabricated, false and malicious.”
The Manipur cabinet has decided to request the Centre to use state police at the check posts on the Imphal-Moreh highway, chief minister N Biren Singh said on Saturday.
The decision was taken in a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by the chief minister on Friday evening following allegations of harassment by a woman Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
The officer had alleged that she and her escort party were detained, harassed and assaulted by a rifleman of D-Company of 12 Assam Rifles on January 19 at the Khudengthabi check-post on the Imphal-Moreh highway in Tengnoupal district.
They were returning after duty from the border town of Moreh, 110km south of Imphal.
“Our decision was to urge the Centre so that the state police can replace the particular check posts only on the Imphal-Moreh route,” says Chief Minister Biren.
“Many complaints from various quarters including domestic and foreign visitors have come up because of frequent checking. That is the reason we’ve to change the situation.”
Assam Rifles had in a statement refuted the IPS officer’s allegation terming it “baseless, fabricated, false and malicious.”
Moreh police station had already registered a case based on a complaint by the IPS officer, who is serving as the sub-divisional police officer at the Yairipok police station in Thoubal district.
The Manipur chapter of Indian administrative Service (IAS) association and others extended solidarity to the IPS officer.
The Naga Women’s Union condemned the incident in a press release on Saturday and appealed for immediate and suitable measures to prevent escalation of all forms of discrimination against women and to ensure security to women and innocent citizens.
Conveying “grave and severe” concern over the incident, the Kerala Tamil Nadu chapters of the IPS Association in their separate statements also extended solidarity to the IPS officer in Manipur.
Expressing “shock and concern over the undesirable incident,” the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Association of Manipur urged authorities to take up the matter at the appropriate level and ensure that no such incidents recur with any government officials serving the people under various departments.
Earlier, the Manipur chapter of IPS officers’ association had said that it expected the paramilitary to cooperate with the police investigation into the incident.
