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Manipur police mutiny spreads
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Manipur police mutiny spreads
The Times of India (New Delhi)
December 14, 2000
By: Shankhadeep Choudhury
IMPHAL: The mutiny in Manipur Rifles, an elite wing of the state police,
spread on Wednesday with more jawans joining in, leading to a near-
complete collapse in the security cover of several VIPs, high on the
list of militants, in this insurgency-prone north-eastern state.
Personnel of the first battalion of the Manipur Rifles have been on a
``guns down'' strike since December 8 following non-payment of
allowances due to them. The same allowances, it may be mentioned, had
been paid to men belonging to two other battalions - the seventh Manipur
Rifles, based in the state's remote Chandel district and the eighth
Manipur Rifles, located near this capital town - by their respective
commandants.
At the headquarters of the city- based first battalion, close to the
high-security prison here, the iron gates remained locked. Slogans, like
"Arrear is our blood'', adorn the entrance.
``Already, four battalions of this 13,000-strong force are on strike.
The Indian Reserve Battalion also joined the strike on Wednesday. Police
commandos, jail staff, fire service personnel and regular policemen are
also expected to participate in the strike very soon,'' a spokesman of
the striking Manipur Rifles personnel, who refused to be identified,
said.
The seventh and eighth battalions, incidentally, have also been on a
strike, though for a different reason. Their personnel are demanding the
reinstatement of their commandants, who were suspended for disbursing
the arrear allowances to their men in cash in ``gross violation of
government rules''.
However, Manipur's additional director-general of police C. Peter
Ngahanyui, when contacted, said that the suspension orders of the
commandants concerned would be revoked by Wednesday night.
He confirmed: ``We also have intelligence reports that more personnel
are joining in and that the agitation is spreading fast. We are trying
to work out some kind of a compromise formula - there is a chance that
an amount of about Rs 65 lakh will be given to each battalion for
disbursement among the men. The main problem is that the government does
not have any funds, but we are still trying to do our best.''
Incidentally, the iron gates of the sprawling battalion were not even
opened to the state director-general of police, D.S. Grewal, who along
with senior police officers visited the spot from where the mutiny first
spread. ``He pleaded with us to open the gate for almost half an hour,
but when we did not yield, he left. He said he would order an inquiry.
We then told him to first finish the inquiry and then come,'' a
policeman, obviously in a rebellious mood, remarked.
The withdrawal of the security cover has affected every VIP in this
capital town as the Manipur Rifles personnel provide escort cover and
act as house guards to all politicians as well as senior police and
civil officials in the state.
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<b><font size=+2>Manipur police mutiny spreads</font></b>
<p>The Times of India (New Delhi)
<br>December 14, 2000
<p>By: <b>Shankhadeep Choudhury</b>
<p><b>IMPHAL: </b>The mutiny in Manipur Rifles, an elite wing of the state
police, spread on Wednesday with more jawans joining in, leading to a near-
complete collapse in the security cover of several VIPs, high on the list
of militants, in this insurgency-prone north-eastern state.
<p>Personnel of the first battalion of the Manipur Rifles have been on
a ``guns down'' strike since December 8 following non-payment of allowances
due to them. The same allowances, it may be mentioned, had been paid to
men belonging to two other battalions - the seventh Manipur Rifles, based
in the state's remote Chandel district and the eighth Manipur Rifles, located
near this capital town - by their respective commandants.
<p>At the headquarters of the city- based first battalion, close to the
high-security prison here, the iron gates remained locked. Slogans, like
"Arrear is our blood'', adorn the entrance.
<p> ``Already, four battalions of this 13,000-strong force are on
strike. The Indian Reserve Battalion also joined the strike on Wednesday.
Police commandos, jail staff, fire service personnel and regular policemen
are also expected to participate in the strike very soon,'' a
spokesman of the striking Manipur Rifles personnel, who refused to be identified,
said.
<p>The seventh and eighth battalions, incidentally, have also been on a
strike, though for a different reason. Their personnel are demanding the
reinstatement of their commandants, who were suspended for disbursing the
arrear allowances to their men in cash in ``gross violation of government
rules''.
<p>However, Manipur's additional director-general of police C. Peter Ngahanyui,
when contacted, said that the suspension orders of the commandants concerned
would be revoked by Wednesday night.
<p>He confirmed: ``We also have intelligence reports that more personnel
are joining in and that the agitation is spreading fast. We are trying
to work out some kind of a compromise formula - there is a chance that
an amount of about Rs 65 lakh will be given to each battalion for disbursement
among the men. The main problem is that the government does not have any
funds, but we are still trying to do our best.''
<p>Incidentally, the iron gates of the sprawling battalion were not even
opened to the state director-general of police, D.S. Grewal, who along
with senior police officers visited the spot from where the mutiny first
spread. ``He pleaded with us to open the gate for almost half an hour,
but when we did not yield, he left. He said he would order an inquiry.
We then told him to first finish the inquiry and then come,'' a policeman,
obviously in a rebellious mood, remarked.
<p>The withdrawal of the security cover has affected every VIP in this
capital town as the Manipur Rifles personnel provide escort cover and act
as house guards to all politicians as well as senior police and civil officials
in the state.
<p> </html>
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