TMB Report
Imphal: In a shocking incident, a differently abled person who has been seeking justice over land mortgage was allegedly thrashed by police inside the police station for not withdrawing his complaint.
The victim has been identified as Md.Abdul Hakim, son of Late Junab Ali of Keirao Makting Menjor Engkhol in Imphal East. Hakim is said to be 85 percent physically handicapped.
Talking to media persons in a press meet held at Manipur Press Club on Thursday, victim Md.Abdul Hakim said that he mortgaged a piece of his land to one Md Satar (Moulavi) of Keirao Makting 18 years back at Rs.30,000 to meet the expenses for his medical treatment.
He said that when he approached Satar that he wanted to refund the amount, the latter’s sons refused, prompting him to knock on the door of Irilbung Police Station with a written complaint submitted on March 9.
He recounted that he was summoned to the police station on March 14 for negotiation and at the police station; the police officers strongly interrogated him and insisted on withdrawing his complaint.
The victim claimed that when he denied withdrawing his complaint, the police officers thrashed him despite informing that he is a differently abled person.
He also alleged that the police officers also thrashed his son who tried to intervene into the act to diffuse the situation.
Saying that his son fell on the ground and was rushed to the hospital for treatment, Md.Abdul demanded action be taken against the errant cops.
Social activist and Advisor of Disabled Development Association Manipur Dr.Kiran Yendrembam who attended the press meet strongly condemned the physical assault meted out to the differently abled person by the personnel of Irilbung Police Station, questioning if the law is divided for the rich and the poor.
He said that SI Md.Hanif Shah who is also the IO and SI Th.Bungbung (2nd OC) of Irilbung Police Station summoned Md.Abdul Hakim to the police station regarding the incident reported on March 9 for negotiation.
However, after reaching the police station, Md.Abdul Hakim was threatened to withdraw the report and brutally beaten by the police officers, he alleged.
DDAM strongly condemned such acts. Fitting action should be taken against the police personnel involved in the assault, he said.
He lamented that the State has not been able to deliver the rights to a physically challenged person. He charged that the physically challenged person was brutally assaulted by the police personnel in uniform in an apparent case of power abuse.
He pointed out that as per the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 Section 7(4), in any case of inconvenience, a police officer after taking consent of district magistrate must protect the person with disability and protect his rights and if no negotiation can be brought, guidance must be given for free legal proceedings.
Personnel of Irilbung Police Station have acted in violation of the provisions of the Act due to their ignorance of the Act, he charged.
State Platform of Disabled People’s Organisation, Manipur President Md.Yunus Khan lamented the negligence of the government to deliver the rights of the persons with disability. He strongly decried the brutality of the police personnel who are supposed to safeguard the people.
Cautioning that the two police officers must take full responsibility if further unwanted incidents take place in the victim’s family, he demanded compensation for the treatment of the victim as per RPWD Act, 2016.
