IMPHAL: Several Meitei organisations on Thursday organised demonstrations and rallies in various parts of the Imphal valley against the re-imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state. The protesters also demanded prompt action against the members of the Kuki-Zo-Hmar group who were allegedly responsible for the killing of six civilians including three women and three children from Jiribam.
The protesters, belonging to organisations such as Meira Paibis held sit-ins against the re-imposition of AFSPA in areas falling under six police stations of the state.
The Centre on November 14 re-imposed the AFSPA in Manipur's six police station areas, including Jiribam.
At present, the entire state, except for the areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations, is under AFSPA.
Employees of a car showroom in the state capital also demonstrated condemning a gun attack by unknown miscreants on early Wednesday at the outlet.
Police said gunmen had fired a few rounds into the office and inside the showroom damaging at least one vehicle.
A rally was also taken from Waikhom Mani College to Thoubal Mela ground in Thoubal district covering a distance of nearly 2 km, to protest against the "deteriorating law and order situation" in the state.
A number of organisations including All Thoubal United Clubs Organisation organised the rally.
The fresh series of violent incidents in the state was triggered by the brutal murder of a Kuki tribal woman from Jiribam allegedly by Meiti extremists earlier this month.
According to an FIR filed by the woman's husband, she was brutally raped and burnt alive by Meiti militants along with the houses of other tribals belonging to the Hmar tribal community in a village in the Jiribam district.
This was followed by CRPF and police personnel shooting dead 10 people belonging to the same tribe as the woman, claiming them to be "militants." Kuki-Zo organisations claimed they were "village volunteers" and demanded a thorough investigation into the killings.
A day after, six members of a Meitei family from the same village—three women and three children—were reported missing, with officials saying that they were likely abducted by Kuki militants.
Violent protests led by Meitei groups broke out after the recovery of the six bodies from the Jiri river in Jiribam and Barak river in Cachar of neighbouring Assam over the past few days.
Protesting mobs attacked, burnt and looted the homes and properties of over a dozen legislators, including a minister prompting the Centre to deploy more armed forces in the violence-hit areas.
An indefinite curfew was also imposed in several districts of the Imphal valley.
The state government on Thursday relaxed curfew in four valley districts for varied durations to facilitate people to purchase essential items.
District magistrates of Imphal East and Thoubal ordered relaxation of curfew hours from 5 am to 12 noon.
For Imphal West and Bishnupur districts, the relaxation will be from 5 am to 4 pm.
Earlier the authorities of all four districts had said that curfew relaxation hours would be from 5 am to 4 pm.
(With inputs from PTI)
