One of the police personnel told Bimol, while arresting, that his “biggest mistake” was going to another assembly constituency and speaking at the public meeting of Thounaojam Brinda, an aspiring candidate from Yaiskul assembly constituency, said Yumkhaibam Tampha.
TFM Desk
On the rainy Tuesday early morning, a team of Imphal West Commando came to the house of 61-year-old Yumkhaibam Bimol Meitei of Lilong Arapti Maning Leikai, woke him up and arrested him, allegedly without providing any proper information on the reason for the arrest. Later in the evening, police claimed that he was an “overground worker” of the proscribed outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL).
Addressing a press conference at the Manipur Press Club on Tuesday, Bimol’s daughter Yumkhaibam Tampha said that the commando personnel had maintained that his father was arrested as per an order by the Superintendent of Police of Imphal West.One of the police personnel told Bimol, while arresting, that his “biggest mistake” was going to another assembly constituency and speaking at the public meeting of Thounaojam Brinda, an aspiring candidate from Yaiskul assembly constituency, said Yumkhaibam Tampha.
Yumkhaibam Bimol Meitei, who is the secretary of Yelhoumee Kanba Lup, had participated and voiced his opinions at a public meeting held at Yumnam Leikai on December 5. Among others, Th Brinda, also spoke at the meeting.
“Why was my father pointed out and arrested, when others also spoke at the same meeting,” Tampha asked, adding that he is a blacksmith earning meager amounts to meet the family’s ends.
Tampha further expressed her anguish at the conduct of the commando team for allegedly intimidating the family members while arresting Bimol, who is the only male member of the family.
The commando team took my father to the Imphal West Commando Complex at Hatta Minuthong, she said and added that when the family members went to meet her, they were not allowed to meet him. “We pleaded to just see him to ascertain that he was safe and sound so that we could take further course of action,” she added.
Tampha further said that before the press conference was conducted in the afternoon, an individual who identified himself as one police man told her, over the phone, that the case might get serious and that her father was arrested after tapping his phone calls. When asked, the personnel did not say which calls he was referring to, she added.
She also urged the state government to release her father safe and sound, and without any conditions
Retired Assistant Commandant AK Ibomcha, who also joined the press conference, said that he was the presidium member of the December 5 public meeting, and maintained that Bimol did not utter any opinions that warrant arrest. He also urged the concerned authorities to release Bimol without any harm.