Lull on the Eastern front breaks down
IRB men lay down arms to protest ‘victimisation’
Our Correspondent
MOREH, Jun 30 : It was the proverbial lull before the storm at the border town as after a few days of seeming normalcy, as fresh trouble broke out Moreh last night.
Trouble started when the CO of the IRB newly posted at Moreh reportedly suggested the suspension of a jawan after the latter opened fire in the air to disperse armed persons seen moving around during curfew hours last night.
Taking strong exception against the action of their superior, the IRB men opened fire in the air through out the night yesterday and surrendered their weapons before the Moreh police station today morning.
Trouble started when a team of IRB men pressed into service during curfew hours last night allegedly spotted three persons moving openly with arms.
When asked to stop, the armed persons, instead of heeding the call mocked at the IRB men, said sources.
Peeved with the nonchalant attitude of the armed persons, one of the IRB men, identified AS Laishram Nabakumar, opened fire in the air to stop them.
On hearing the gun fire, the officiating IRB CO Laxmi Prasad came to the spot and allegedly pulled up the jawan and threatened that a suspension order would be issued against the jawan.
Speaking to the press, the IRB personnal alleged that not only was their colleague threatened with the suspension order but was also physically assaulted.
This was despite furnishing the required explanations to the superior, said the peeved jawans.
The matter was however resolved later in the evening today after the IG (LO-I) S Dinokumar, DIG Range (II) C Doungel and another officer of the rank of DIG and SP of Chandel police arrived at the border town.
Speaking to the press later at Hawa Mahal the IG said that as per the demands put up by the IRB personnel, the jawan L Nabakumar will not be suspended, the bullets fired in the air last night will not be replaced and not to post CO Laxmi Prasad at Moreh again.
The IRB personnel acknowledged the assurances given by the IG.
However as news spread that the IRB personnel would be replaced by the Manipur Rifles, women folk of Moreh came out to the street and blocked the road.
Late in the evening, MR personnel who were sent to replace the IRB personnel were stopped by the womenfolk but ultimately the State prevailed and the IRB men were moved out for the MR men.
Earlier yesterday, the angst of the IRB personnel was fuelled after the CO and the AC disappeared after a meeting with the personnel at the Moreh Trade Centre, during which the IRB men demanded that the suspension order be revoked.

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