Imphal, Oct 19 Three people collecting firewood in a forest were killed allegedly by militants in Manipur on Monday, triggering protests by locals who placed two bodies outside the chief minister’s residence here.
Three others were also injured as militants opened fire on 16 firewood collectors, all belonging to the Meitei community, on the border of Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, officials said, adding that three more have gone missing.
Following the demonstration outside his residence, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh visited the injured undergoing treatment at a private hospital, but did not respond to any media queries.
The chief minister later held a meeting to review the security situation in the state, during which he strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians and directed officials to strengthen security measures in vulnerable areas, according to an official statement.
An official said the ambush by militants led to the death of Arubam Ronil (35) and Lairenlakpam Inaobi (51) on the spot, while Kshetrimayum Sushil (32) succumbed to injuries at a private hospital.
The injured — N Suraj (19), Meisnam Somendro (53) and K Bosan (45) — were undergoing treatment.
Angry locals brought the bodies to the state capital to protest the violence that has plagued the state since May 2023. They placed the bodies outside the main gate of the chief minister’s residence in Babupara. It was not immediately known whether the chief minister was at the residence during the protest.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, following which the bodies were taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).
Security has also been tightened around the CM Bungalow and the routes leading to it.
Protesters blocked a road at Khurai Lamlong while a group of women staged a demonstration at Ema Keithel in Imphal. Markets and shops across Imphal shuttered following the incident.
Manipur’s ethnic conflict between the valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki communities, which erupted in May 2023, has claimed at least 306 lives while several remain missing. Since February this year, around 50 people have been killed in clashes between Kukis and Nagas in the state.
(PTI News)
