Four killed in firing on wood gatherers in Manipur; bodies placed outside CM's house in Imphal
Suspected armed attackers fired on a group collecting firewood near the Imphal East-Kangpokpi border, and protesters left the bodies outside the chief minister's home.
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Violence has flared up again in Manipur and the situation remains tense. At least four people are reported to have died in two separate incidents on Sunday night and Monday morning. Angered by the deaths, people placed the bodies outside the Imphal residence of Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh in protest. Security forces fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
The matter is said to be linked to firing near the border of Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts. It is alleged that suspected armed attackers opened fire on a group of people who had gone to a hilly area to collect wood for use at home.
Two of those killed have been identified as Arubam Ronil (35) and Lairenlakpam Inobi (51). According to information from officials, a group of about 16 people had gone to a hill near their village at around 7 am on Monday to gather wood for domestic use. They were fired upon indiscriminately.
The incident took place near Nongshum village in Imphal East district, which falls within the limits of Kangpokpi district. Those injured in the firing were admitted to hospital for treatment. Efforts were under way to trace three people after the incident.
As news of the firing and the deaths spread, anger erupted in Imphal. Protesters carried the bodies to the residence of Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh and placed them near the gate.
The mood grew more tense as the crowd swelled. Security forces fired tear gas shells to remove the protesters from the spot. The bodies were then taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). It could not immediately be confirmed whether the chief minister was at home at the time.
Concern over the state's security situation has grown after recent incidents of violence in the hill areas of Manipur. Earlier, firing was reported between armed groups linked to the Kuki and Naga communities in Chassad village of Kamjong district. One person was killed and several were injured in that incident.
The new incidents have heightened tension in Imphal, and keeping the situation under control has become a challenge for the administration.
