Two killed in Manipur by armed cadres, tribal body declares 48-hr shut down in Kangpokpi district

IMPHAL — In a fresh incident of violence in Manipur, two people were killed by unidentified armed group in Kangpokpi district on Monday, police said.

Police said that the incident occurred at Kangchup area in tribal-dominated Kangpokpi district.

Following the killing, the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi imposed an emergency shut down in the whole of Kangpokpi district for 48 hours and announced closure of all commercial establishments and markets and restricted the movement of vehicles for 48 hours.

The two bodies were brought to Motbung PHC where a post mortem was conducted before a condolence ceremony was held at Motbung Community Hall as hundreds of Kuki-Zo people across Kangpokpi gathered at Gamgiphai to receive the remains of the duo with a gun salute from the Kuki-Zo volunteers.

Speaking to the media, CoTU’s Information and Publicity Secretary, Thangtinlen Haokip said that the attack on the tribals on Monday by the militants once again clearly indicated their aggression in the Kuki-Zo-dominated territory.

The CoTU demanded immediate intervention of the Central Government in the killing of the two tribals, and Haokip urged the Centre to hand the case of the gruesome killing of Thangminlun Hangshing and Henminlen Vaiphei to the Central Bureau of Investigation to ensure justice to the victims.

CoTU also urged the Centre to instruct the authorities concerned to take proactive steps to nab those involved in the brutal attack and killing while directing the authorities concerned to ensure no such attack and killing occur in the Kuki-Zo-dominated areas.

The CoTU’s indefinite economic blockade is also underway along the highways since November 16. More than 180 people were killed and hundreds of people injured since the violence erupted in Manipur on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

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