Soaring Wings

Army Brutality

*Angry villagers organise protest rally at Muolhoi

HAFLONG/HMARKHAWLIEN (NC, Hills, ASSAM): Indian security personnel are known for taking on soft targets in Northeast India. And on July 27, they again unleashed their brutality on an innocent 3-month pregnant woman who tried to save her husband from their blows.

The injured woman, Mrs Lalremruot,  has been admitted with vaginal bleeding to Pailapool hospital in Cachar District and her condition is stated to be stable.

Mrs. Lalremruot’s husband, Upa Jehova Lalzarzo, was beaten “mercilessly” by the Assam Rifles men at Bawraw Arkap after a suspected HPC(D) militant revealed that the outfit had hidden some weapons in the couple’s compound.

Lalzarzo is a ‘val-upa’ (village elder) and a church elder.

Taking on soft targets has become a common practice for both militants and security personnel in this highly sensitive Hmar inhabited area.

Meanwhile, reports coming from Muolhoi town said angry residents lead by the Indigenous Women Federation (IWF) took out a protest rally against the “brutality”of the jawans. They also demanded stern action against the culprits so that “such acts do not occur in the future”.

According to sources, the Assam Rifles men were led by  Captain Adhinak who is stationed at Mahur.

The jawans also allegedly trashed locals from Muollien village after they tried to free Mr Vanlalnghak on the ground that he was not HPC(D) cadre. However, the jawans claimed that Mr Vanlalnghak had confessed that he was a member of the rebel outfit.

“The whereabouts of Vanlalnghak and Lalzarzo are not yet known,” said Mr L. Thanmawia Pajamte of Hmarkhawlien who went to enquire about the incident told a local daily on Thursday.
Sources said that the Assam Rifles men also warned Muoltluong villagers that they would face more difficulties in the coming days.