In an unbecoming incident, a drug user reportedly died at the hands of local vigilante group named as the Anti-Drug Joint Committee (ADJC) on Thursday night in Imphal east district, Manipur.
Lelen Vaiphei
In an unbecoming incident, a drug user reportedly died at the hands of local vigilante group named as the Anti-Drug Joint Committee (ADJC) on Thursday night in Imphal east district, Manipur.
Following the fatal incident, the angry mob on Friday dismantled the office of the committee and residence of its president located at Kairang, Imphal East.
A local news reporter who had gone for spot news gathering was also assaulted by the mob. Timely intervention by the state police save the reporter from the violent mob, armed with knives and swords. The SDPO of Imphal East, L. Sankarjit who was leading the police team sustained an injury while trying to protect the reporter.
The deceased drug user has been identified as one Md. Abdul Helim, 61, of Khomidok Jama Masjid Manning, Imphal East. Apparently, Helim was apprehended from his house along with some drugs by the members of ADJC on Thursday at about 11.30 pm.
Subsequently, Helim was brought at the Progressive Youth Association (PYA) ground at Kairang for interrogation by the committee. He was declared brought dead by the primary health centre, Heingang, Imphal East. The police report said that Helim’s hands and legs were found swollen and bruised when he was brought to the health centre.
On hearing the news of Helim’s death, angry locals dismantled the office of the committee and the president’s house. Ajimuddin, the president of the vigilante committee even fired a few rounds in the air from his licensed gun to ward off the violent mob attacking his house.
State police have taken control of the situation and have deployed Indian Reserve Battalion personnel and civil police personnel in the area as precautionary measures.
After registering a case under FIR number 41(06)2019-HNG-PS u/s 302/34 IPC, police picked up eight members of ADJC and has taken judicial remand after producing them in front of chief judicial magistrate, Imphal East.
Recently a CoNE, an NGO working for the well being of the drug users community in Manipur had highlighted that few privately operated de-addiction centres are turning their rehab centres into extortion points, involved in the kidnapping of drug users and extortion money from their parents.
