Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Thursday said his government is taking all necessary steps, in coordination with the Centre, to act against those responsible for the Bishnupur bomb attack that killed two children, amid protests across five valley districts.
He said the state government is in constant contact with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure an effective response and restore normalcy.
The Chief Minister made these remarks after meeting representatives of the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) and other groups at the state secretariat.
The meeting was also attended by state Home Minister K Govindas Singh and several MLAs.
Singh said key concerns raised by the representatives were discussed and described the deliberations as "constructive and substantive".
Calling the Bishnupur incident "deeply unfortunate", he said it had disrupted ongoing efforts to restore peace.
"The situation has been taken with utmost seriousness," he said.
He assured that those responsible for the attack would be identified and dealt with strictly as per the law.
"The government remains firmly committed to maintaining law and order, restoring normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens," Singh said, urging civil society organisations and the public to extend cooperation in restoring peace.
The meeting was held after hundreds of people under the aegis of the AMUCO staged a rally from its office near Kwakeithel, denouncing the killings and demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
Several children, holding posters of the two minors killed in the attack, also attended the rally, which was stopped by security forces from advancing further.
Later, representatives of AMUCO were escorted by the police to meet the CM at the secretariat.
A five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister were killed when suspected militants hurled a bomb at their house at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district on April 7.
Soon after the incident, a mob of around 500 protesters stormed a CRPF camp near Gelmol, a few hundred metres from Tronglaobi, and engaged in vandalism and burning of security vehicles.
In the ensuing firing by security forces, three protesters died while 30 were injured.
Earlier in the day, at Samurou in Imphal West district, hundreds of protestors attempted to head towards the CM's official bungalow but were stopped by police.
Protesters also burnt tyres and stopped vehicular movements at Moirang Lamkhai and Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district.
Similar incidents were reported from Khurai in Imphal East district and parts of Thoubal and Kakching districts.
On Wednesday night, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces at Khurai Lamlong in Imphal East district, where agitators resorted to stone pelting, prompting security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
Earlier, police arrested three suspected cadres of the United Kuki National Army during operations following the Tronglaobi incident.
However, police have yet to confirm whether those arrested were directly linked to the blast.
(With inputs from PTI)
