Imphal, Manipur, April 7 (HBTV): A combined team of Imphal West and Thoubal district police commandos who came to arrest the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency independent candidate MoirangthemTotomsana Nongshaba of Heirok part-II from his residence were stopped by the people of Heirok.                   

The independent candidate had threatened to kill Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh during a live show, over the latter’s alleged ‘way of handling’ the Manipur conflict. Manipur has been in a state of turmoil since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo community. 

An additional sessions judge had granted anticipatory bail to Moirangthem Totomsana. As per reports, the police team consisting of about 25 vehicles, including bullet proof vehicles, reportedly came to arrest Totomsana from his residence on Saturday night. The team reportedly planned to arrest him with the help of Heirok police station, but reports of their arriving to arrest the independent candidate spread like wildfire.                   

The people of Heirok came out on the streets to block the roads and protested. The police could not come out of Heirok Police Station. At air time, the police have not been able to arrest Nongsaba. 

Sources added that the police also assured to not arrest the candidate following the protest by the people of Heirok.          

Totomsana Nongsaba threatened to kill Biren Singh during a live discussion on the forthsuing Lok Sabha elections on an OTT platform.       

Earlier on Thursday, the District Election Officer of Inner Manipur directed the police authorities to arrest the candidate for violating the election code of conduct. Imphal Police Station lodged an FIR following the orders and summoned Nongsaba but he did not come to the police station.