GUWAHATI: Manipur Police picked up seven members of a militant organisation suspecting their involvement in the recent killings of two construction workers from Bihar’s Gopalganj.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event organised to celebrate Vijay Diwas on Monday that the persons were picked up for interrogation.
“We strongly suspect the involvement of politically motivated groups in the incident. The police have picked up seven members of an outfit and are interrogating them to find out if they were involved. We will find out the culprit,” Singh said.
The Manipur government has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of the two deceased – Sunalal Kumar (18) and Dasharat Kumar (17).
Singh had on Sunday stated that the incident could be part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise Manipur. “If required, the case will be transferred to the National Investigation Agency to ensure a fair and thorough inquiry,” he had stated.
The victims were fired upon by unidentified persons on the Kakching-Wabagai Road when they were returning to their rented accommodation at the Kakching Bazar riding bicycles.
Both were grievously injured and they succumbed to their injuries while being taken to a hospital by the police.