As fresh violence in Manipur kills four, Kuki group ITLF calls for emergency shutdown in Churachandpur

ITLF, an organisation of the Kuki-Zo community, announced their demand after two more persons succumbed to their injuries sustained in firing that continues to take place in an area at the border of the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur and Meitei-dominated Bishnupur districts

Two of the faculties were reported in the last two hours, with both the deceased having suffered bomb splinter injuries.

One of them has been identified as songwriter LS Mangboi, who was widely popular locally, especially for a song — ‘I gam hilo ham’ which translates to ‘Isn’t this our land?’ — he had written during the ongoing conflict. The other deceased, Richard Hemkholin Guite, who the locals say was a village defence volunteer, succumbed to his injuries in the Churachandpur district.

This takes the toll in the ongoing firing which started on August 29 to four. On August 29, two people — Jangminlun Gangte and Laibungjam Inao — had died in Churachandpur and Bishnupur respectively.

Heavy gunbattle had seen a few hours of lull since Wednesday evening, even as security operations conducted searches in Kangpokpi, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Imphal-West districts and recovered arms, ammunition and explosives.

Over 160 people have been killed since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a “Tribal Solidarity March” was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

With inputs from PTI