Inner Line Permit movement leader remanded to police custody

Khomdram Ratan, former convener of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), was on Thursday remanded to nine days police custody.

He was charged with being an activist of a proscribed underground organisation. A tribal had uploaded a photo allegedly showing "Ratan" at a function of the outfit. Ratan has denied the charge.

However police registered a case on June 2 and a cash reward of Rs 5,00,000 was announced for information leading to his arrest as he had become an "absconder".

His counsel Khaidem Mani told IANS that all these months Ratan has been at home or office. In fact he was interacting with reporters when the police announcement was made.

He contended that legal provisions were not observed. After his arrest at 11 p.m. on Wednesday he was produced in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal west on Thursday.

Shops and markets were shutdown at several places in protest. Students and women activists also continued a relay hunger strike demanding his release and dropping the Wanted tag.

His supporters have demanded that Ratan should be released, failing which they have threatened various forms of extreme agitations.

Security has been tightened in the valley districts.

--IANS

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