The Manipur Police have registered a case against Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh based on CCTV footage showing him allegedly opening fire at unidentified persons over a land dispute in Imphal on December 12.
This is the second case registered against the chief of the radical Meitei outfit that seeks revival of the Sanamahi kingdom. The dispute seems to be over encroachment of land near a Sanamahi temple in Imphal.
When contacted, Mr. Singh told The Hindu that this was a rumour being spread by the Kuki-Zo people. Pressed further on who he was shooting at and on the police registering a case based on the CCTV footage, Mr. Singh said, “We shot and will continue to shoot.”
The video clip purportedly shows Mr. Singh with at least six men wearing olive uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons. One of the armed men is seen thrashing a man with a stick while Mr. Singh looks on.
The video of the incident went viral on social media on Sunday, following which the Porompat Police registered a case under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of more than ₹50), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and 25 1-B (unlicensed weapons) of the Arms Act.
Benjamin Mate, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, posted on X, “The radical Meitei Leepun leader Mr Pramot Singh & Meitei armed militia Arambai Tenggol firing their guns at mainland Indians living in Imphal Tilupati, in d presence of @manipur_police was captured by CCTV cameras. Nobody seems to b safe in @NBirenSingh’s Imphal. @AmitShah”
No arrest has been made in the case so far.
On July 8, Mr. Singh was booked by the police for promoting enmity between groups and criminal conspiracy, among other charges. After warrants were issued against him by a local court in Churachandpur, the Manipur High Court granted him protection from arrest till January 15.
Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that erupted after a tribal solidarity march on May 3 has claimed at least 175 lives and displaced more than 54,000 people.
