Policemen wait outside the shack where Irom Sharmila is holding her hunger strike
Thirty hours after she was released from a jail hospital in Imphal, 30 hours after she was force-fed through a nose tube, the police tried to persuade Irom Sharmila to undergo a medical check-up but she refused.
After being released on Wednesday evening, Sharmila had announced that she would continue her fast to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
What specially irked her was that the doctor came for the medical check-up at her dharna site around 10 PM on Thursday. He was accompanied by a large police force, triggering concerns among her supporters that the police may take Sharmila under detention once again.
"I have said I will not allow a medical check-up," said Sharmila, who was sleeping when the doctor and the police arrived. "I don't know why they are disturbing me."
Asked if she expected to be detained or even arrested, Sharmila said, "That is up to the government".
The late night drama took place at the tin shack which is now Irom's dharna site. The shack is less than 500 m from the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, where she had been incarcerated for 14 years.
While no one in the government was ready to go on record, sources said the officials are confounded by Tuesday's court order of Sharmila's release. The court maintained that the attempted suicide charge against her could not be sustained but also said the state government must ensure her safety and health and resort to feeding her through a nose tube if necessary.
What is not clear to the government is how to force-feed her without arresting her. According to the court order, Sharmila is not violating any law by staying on fast and therefore cannot be arrested.