Security personnel standing guard in Manipur (Photo | PTI)
Northeast
Manipur govt forms SIT to probe Jan 1 civilian killings
The attack was carried out by some gunmen at Lilong, a Meitei Pangal (Meitei Muslim)-dominated area in the Thoubal district of Imphal valley. Revolutionary People’s Front claimed responsibility
GUWAHATI: The death toll in the new year shooting incident in Manipur rose to five even as the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.
Md Abdur Rajaq, who was grievously injured in the incident, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on Wednesday.
The attack on that day was carried out by some gunmen at Lilong, a Meitei Pangal (Meitei Muslim)-dominated area in the Thoubal district of Imphal valley. Over a dozen people were also injured.
Later, the Revolutionary People’s Front claimed responsibility. The insurgent group said the incident occurred during a mission to round up a drug cartel that persistently disregarded warnings to stop the drug trade.
An official order said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Md Riyajuddin Shah would head the six-member SIT. SDPO N Suresh Singh, inspector Masood and sub-inspectors Md Anwar Hussain, S Bhubon Singh and N Thomas Singh are the other members.
Meanwhile, a crisis was averted after a Joint Action Committee of the Meitei Pangals agreed to claim the bodies of the victims for last rites. This followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the government in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
“Held a meeting with CSOs (civil society organisations) of the Meitei Pangal community…Express my deep sorrow for the unfortunate incident that happened at Lilong on 1st Jan,” Singh wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“We have come to an understanding where the religious leaders and CSOs of Meitei Pangal community have agreed to take the remains of the victims for their last rites,” he further wrote.
The JAC had demanded the formation of a village protection force in each Meitei Pangal-inhabited area, ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each and a suitable government job to the next of kin of each of the victims.
Manipur has remained restive ever since the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis broke out on May 3. It left some 200 people dead and 60,000 others displaced.