Protesters, police clash over 'cow theft' killing; 8 injured

Eight people were injured on Thursday when supporters of the joint action committee (JAC) on the killing of Mohammad Hasmad Ali alias Babu tried to storm the Irilbung police station in Imphal East district of Manipur, leading to a scuffle.

Ali, a madrassa headmaster, was beaten to death on November 2 for allegedly stealing a cow. The protesters refused to take 55-year-old Ali’s body home from the morgue till his killers were caught and adequate compensation was given.

Police sources said a large number of people from Keirao Makting on Thursday stormed the police station demanding arrest of the culprits.

This happened following a public meeting called by the JAC at the Keirao Makting Youth Club ground. The protesters, mainly the youths of Keirao Makting, vandalised the police station. The law-keepers had to lathicharge and lob teargas shells to tame the protesters.

Later, the police blocked Imphal-Yairipok road at Irilbung Keithel. Ali’s body was found at Uchekon Moriba Thongkhong area under Irilbung police station in the early hours of November 2, the police added. He was the headmaster of Keirao Makting government primary madrassa.

As the news spread, villagers from Ali’s village alleged that he was killed by people from a nearby village on charges of cow theft. Although the police could not trace from where the information originated, state police sources said security has been tightened in the area as they suspected that some vested-interest groups were trying to create communal tension.