IMPHAL, June 8 - One person, claimed to be a drug peddler, was allegedly beaten to death by members of an anti-drug trafficking body in Imphal East district, following which a mob ransacked the organisation�s office and the residence of its president, the police said today.
A journalist was also assaulted when he, along with other scribes, went to cover the mob violence.
Members of the Anti-Drug Joint Committee had picked up Mohammad Helim from his house on late Thursday night claiming that he was a drug peddler, the police said.
They allegedly assaulted him during �interrogation� leading to his death, the police added.
When the news of Helim�s death spread, people of his locality rushed to Kairang area and ransacked the Committee�s office and the residence of its president, Mohammad Ajimuddin, on Friday. Ajimuddin, however, managed to flee.
Police had to lob tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. A group of journalists went to cover the violence and one of them, W Bikram Meitei, was attacked by the mob, and an official was injured while trying to protect him, the police said, adding that eight persons were arrested in connection with the violence.
In a statement, All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) said Meitei, a crime reporter of Echelon Express, was attacked with iron rods and bamboo sticks.
The AMWJU thanked Sub Divisional Police Officer L Sangkarjit and the police personnel of Imphal East district for saving the life of the reporter. � PTI
