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IMPHAL, March 16
A 40-year-old woman was hurt after a tear gas shell hit her and a police vehicle damaged by protesters during an indefinite Imphal-Moreh road bandh called by a joint action committee against arrest of a man accused in Nongmaithem Memicha Devi murder case.
Commando personnel from Thoubal police encountered a large number of bandh enforcers at Samaram Lamkhai along the National Highway 102 section during which a confrontation ensued. Sources reaching here reported that the police resorted to tear gas shell and live bullet firing in which a woman was hit and injured.
Longjam Ahanbi Devi was rushed to Thoubal District Hospital. But her condition was not critical. Angry at the police action, the bandh supporters attacked and damaged one bullet proof jeep. The protesters hailing from the area were obstructing vehicle movement on the highway section since 5 pm yesterday.
The 45-year-old housewife Nongmaithem Ongbi Memicha Devi was found brutally murdered under mysterious circumstances at Samaram Pangthak Loukol in Thoubal o February 26.
Memicha’s husband N Shyam is from Samaram Mamang Leikai but the couple had been staying with their children at Memicha’s maternal house at Naharup Pangong Makhong since the past two years.
She never returned home after she went to Samaram on February 22 last.
In connection with the murder, one Nongmaithem Khomdoncha, 45, hailing from Samaram Mamang Laibung Leikai was arrested by police on March 11 and a local court remanded him to judicial custody.
The accused is stated to be brother of the deceased woman’s husband. A joint action committee (JAC) constituted over her killing has been demanding the authorities to bring all culprits to book.
On one hand, another JAC formed against the arrest of accused Khomdoncha claimed that he has been falsely accused and that he be released unconditionally. The committee imposed the strike on the same demand.
