IMPHAL: Members of the Manipur Police took out a rally from Moreh to Tengnoupal on Monday to protest against incidents of mob violence in the state. Around 70 men in uniform were led by Tengnoupal SP S Ibombcha Singh, with 500 volunteers of various civil bodies also joining in."The two-km peace rally from Moreh police station to Tengnoupal district headquarters was taken out to generate awareness about the need for maintenance of law and order in the society," Ibomcha Singh said. A civil official, who did not wish to be named, said the peace rally was the first of its kind in the state.The rally came four days after a 26-year-old man was lynched by a mob at Tharoijam area of Imphal West district on suspicion of being a vehicle lifter. The accused,Farooque, and two of his friends had come to the village in a car in the early hours on Thursday. While the two others managed to escape the village on foot, Farooque was chased and rounded up by the mob before being killed. The mob also torched the car they had driven to the village.Five persons, including a havildar of India Reserve Battalion (IRB), have been arrested in connection with the lynching. A video of the lynching, which shows four police personnel watching the man being lynched, has gone viral on social media. Imphal West SP Jogeshwar Haobijam said the four policemen, including a sub-inspector, were "present at the spot when the victim was alive and lying unattended".The services of three of those officers have been terminated while the sub-inspector has been suspended. SP Haobijam had also said the cybercrime unit was tracking individuals who had uploaded clips of the lynching.The video, as well as the incident of lynching, has elicited sharp criticisms from various social activists. The Manipur Human Rights Commission has directed the state director general of police to probe the matter and submit a report by September 22. People in large numbers have been organizing torch rallies here, demanding justice for the victim.

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