Lawyers at the sit-in in Imphal on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Nov. 3: Lawyers across Manipur stayed away from courtrooms today to protest against the “abduction” of a colleague by unidentified men last month. The ceasework will continue tomorrow.

Manoharmayum Ibotombi Sharma, a member of the High Court Bar Association, went missing after he drove out of his Singjubung residence here in his car on October 25 morning. He has not been traced so far.

Before leaving, Sharma told his wife, Dhania Devi, that he would go to a motor workshop in the city to get the car fixed. He has failed to return home since.

His family and police believe that a militant group has abducted him. His family members maintain that no one has called them to make any claim or monetary demand.

The lawyers, under the banner of All Manipur Bar Association, have launched a two-day ceasework, beginning today, to show solidarity with lawyers of the Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court.

Lawyers of the Imphal bench have been staying away from courtrooms since Saturday to protest against the abduction of their colleague. They, too, took part in today’s sit-in.

The All Manipur Bar Association decided to suspend court activities and stage a sit-in at the gate of the district and sessions judge court complex here for two days to demand the safe release of their colleague.

The association took the decision after Dhania Devi wrote a letter to it on October 29, seeking help in getting her husband released safely.

“After receiving the letter, we spoke to senior police officials. So far the police have not been able to find any concrete clue to the identity of the abductors and the whereabouts of the missing person. We will stop work for two days to demand the safe release of the lawyer,” the association’s president, S. Brajabihari, said.

He said all courts, including the high court, subordinate courts like revenue tribal, claims tribunal, family court and the courts of judicial magistrates will cease work till tomorrow.

“We appeal to the abductors to release him safely. Even if he committed mistakes he should be given the opportunity for self-correction,” Brajabihari said.

The lawyers’ two-day protest comes after sources informed the family of the abducted lawyer that he was being held by a major militant group.

A source said his family, however, does not know which group is behind the abduction or what is the motive. “The family only got information that a major militant group was holding him. Apart from this the family does not have much information.”

A senior police official said the police were making all out efforts to find out the whereabouts of the missing person. The police also believed that he was abducted.