New Delhi, August 5
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur, as three persons, including a father-son duo, were killed by militants in Bishnupur district late on Friday night while another three sustained bullet wounds following heavy exchange of fire between state forces and armed men in the district. Also, a 24-hour general strike in 27 Assembly segments of Imphal valley crippled normal life today, police officials said.
This came as the Manipur Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday, recommended to Governor Anusuiya Uikey to convene a session of the state Assembly from August 21, officials said.
According to police sources, the three persons were gunned down while in sleep and later slashed with swords at Kwakta in the district on Saturday morning. The assailants came from Churachandpur, they added.
A police source said: “The three had been staying in a relief camp and had moved to their residences in Kwakta on Friday after the situation had improved.”
Soon after the incident, an irate mob gathered at Kwakta and wanted to head towards Churachandpur, but was stopped by security personnel, the police sources said. Eyewitnesses said several houses were burnt at Ukha Tampak in Bishnupur district by a mob in retaliation to the murders.
Heavy exchange of fire between security forces and militants also took place at nearby Phougakchao and in the vicinity of Kwakta, they said. Three persons, including a policeman, were injured near Kwakta on Saturday morning.
Yesterday, the police had said a joint team of security forces conducted an operation in the Koutruk hill range and destroyed as many as seven illegal bunkers.
In Imphal valley, the 24-hour general strike called by the coordinating committee of 27 Assembly constituencies in the state paralysed normal life, with markets and business establishments remaining shut in almost all localities.
Even public transport remained off the roads and schools closed due to the strike from midnight.
The hill districts, however, largely remained unaffected by the strike, which was called by the committee to demand an emergency Assembly session to discuss various issues.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence that broke out in May, and sporadically continued to plague the northeastern state for the past three months, claiming over 160 lives.
Call session on August 21: Cabinet
The Manipur Cabinet has urged Governor Anusuiya Uikey to call the Assembly session from August 21. This will be the first session since violence broke out in May. The previous session was held in March.