Imphal, May 19: The Asian Human Rights Commission has demanded prompt investigation into the assault of a Manipur police sub-inspector by Manipur Rifles escorts of Speaker Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh, immediate arrest of the personnel and termination of their services.

The commission, in a statement issued today, also demanded immediate sacking of the Speaker.

The escorts, numbering more than 20, assaulted sub-inspector Arambam Amitabh following a traffic row around 10.30pm on May 10 near Kangla Fort here. The five-vehicle convoy was returning to the Speaker's home in the city from a tour in Khundrakpam constituency in Imphal East when the incident took place.

The escort team assaulted the sub-inspector in front of his wife and two children.

Imphal city police station registered two FIRs - one lodged by Amitabh's wife Bandana Mutum and the other by the escort team of the Speaker. The escort commander, havildar M. Shanta, was suspended.

Amitabh, who suffered multiple injuries, is now recuperating at his home in Imphal West.

While Bandana accused Lokeshwar Singh of remaining a silent spectator during the assault, Lokeshwar Singh denied being a witness to the case, maintaining that his vehicle drove with one of the four escort vehicles following his car without stopping at the scene of the incident.

The commission also demanded that Lokeshwar should be stripped of his position at once and a prompt chargesheet should be submitted for speedy trial of the case. It said Amitabh is an honest police officer with integrity.

"This climate of impunity has always prevailed in Manipur where VIPs take advantage of their position and curtail people who stand in their way. Such people know very well how to manipulate things to their advantage," the commission said.

The commission wrote a letter to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment calling for his attention to the sub-inspector's case.

It also urged the people to write to Union home minister Rajnath Singh, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Laxmikanta Mohapatra and three MPs from Manipur seeking justice.

Amitabh and his family are not happy with the slow progress of police investigation into the case.

"After recording the statements of my brother and sister-in-law police have not done anything in the case. We are losing faith in the police investigation," the sub-inspector's elder brother, Arambam Athouba, said.

He said the suspension of the escort commander was not the result of the police case. The action was aimed at pacifying public outrage, he said.

Amitabh's family is contemplating filing a written petition in Manipur High Court to institute a special investigation team (SIT) in order to conduct a fair investigation in the case beyond the influence of the Speaker, the commission said.

"We will wait for the police to take their own course. If justice is denied by the state government approaching the court for justice is an option," Athouba said.