Imphal: The Assam Rifles have filed charges of sedition and defamation against the head of an influential Manipuri civil society organisation called the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).
According to a senior defence official, a FIR was filed on July 10 in response to COCOMI's request to "not to surrender weapons."
A police officer confirmed that a FIR had been filed against COCOMI and its convener, Jitendra Ningomba, at the Churachandpur police station for "promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc." (Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code).—Inputs from Agencies