GUWAHATI: A Kuki man was killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Manipur, while a 48-hour strike called by the Native People Committee Manipur to protest the killing of three Meitei civilians on Monday disrupted normal life across the five districts of the Imphal Valley on Tuesday.
The latest incident occurred in a forested area in Kangpokpi district, where two men from the Kuki community came under gunfire. While one was killed, the other escaped unhurt.
The Kuki outfit Committee on Tribal Unity announced a 24-hour “total shutdown” in Kangpokpi district from Tuesday midnight to express collective anguish and demand justice, accountability, protection for the Kuki-Zo people, and concrete action to address their suffering.
Meanwhile, educational institutions, shops and other commercial establishments remained closed in most areas of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts during the strike.
Protestors blocked roads in some places and shouted slogans against Monday’s killing of three civilians. They burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, holding the government responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation and demanding their resignation.
Singh held a meeting with the leaders of INDIA bloc, led by former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. The meeting reviewed the state’s overall security situation.
The leaders of the opposition parties expressed deep concern over the killing of the three civilians and urged Singh to convene an all-party meeting in view of the prevailing situation. He assured them that the matter would be looked into.
“We also had a constructive discussion on maintaining peace and collective efforts for the restoration of normalcy in the state,” the chief minister said.
Talking to media later, Ibobi, who is a Congress veteran, came down heavily on the state’s BJP-led government over the continuing violence and questioned its moral authority to remain in office.
The three Meitei civilians were killed by “armed miscreants” in the Kangpokpi district. Three others were also injured. A group of 16 people had gone towards the hills to collect firewood when the attack was perpetrated.
After the incident, a mob staged a protest by leaving the bodies of two victims at the gate of the Chief Minister’s official bungalow in Imphal’s Babupara area. Police personnel deployed at the site quickly dispersed the protestors by firing tear gas shells, and transported the bodies to a hospital.