Guwahati: The Kuki-Zo community in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi District, Manipur has enforced an indefinite shutdown, spearheaded by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), in response to the fatal shooting of a young protestor, Lalgouthang Singsit. The 22-year-old died during clash with security forces at Keithelmanbi Military Colony on March 8.
The shutdown, which commenced at midnight on March 8, has brought life to a standstill in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas. Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women took to the streets, ensuring complete adherence, while all commercial establishments, educational institutions, and private offices remained shut. Vehicular movement was restricted, with only emergency services permitted to operate under the watch of women volunteers.
A high-level meeting was convened at Keithelmanbi Military Colony, bringing together representatives from key civil society organizations, including the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Kuki Inpi, and the Kuki Students’ Organization (KSO). Although the resolutions of the meeting were not disclosed, the groups confirmed their decision to refrain from claiming Singsit’s body, which remains in the District Hospital Kangpokpi morgue.
Meanwhile, Kuki-Zo women gathered at the hospital to mourn the deceased, intensifying calls for justice. CoTU spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen condemned the alleged brutality of Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police (SP), accusing him of orchestrating not just Singsit’s killing but also the destruction of homes, an ambulance, and private vehicles in Keithelmanbi Military Colony.
Kipgen called upon the Governor to immediately transfer the SP, asserting that such action was necessary to restore peace in the district.
On the other hand a day after violent clashes erupted in Kangpokpi district, leaving one dead and 43 injured, including 17 security personnel, the Manipur Police revealed that armed miscreants among the protestors had opened fire on security forces, triggering retaliation.
In a statement issued by the Manipur Police confirmed that apart from heavy stone pelting and the use of catapults, security personnel also faced gunfire from the protesting mob.
“…there were incidents of firing from amongst the protestors towards the security forces, in which the security forces retaliated,” the statement read, adding that the forces exercised “tremendous restraint” and used “minimal force” to control the situation.
The statement also dismissed claims made by the Kuki Zo Council and the Kuki Students’ Organisation in their March 8 press releases, which alleged that security forces were escorting the protestors. The police termed the allegations as “totally baseless and false”.
The violence stems from protest against the Centre’s decision to grant free movement of citizens in the state from March 8.
Further disruptions were reported along various stretches of National Highways, where large groups of protestors, including women and children, attempted to immobilise the movement of security convoys and vehicles by felling trees, placing boulders, and burning tyres.
Currently, the situation remains tense as security forces maintain heightened vigil to prevent further escalation and ensure the movement of essential goods along key supply routes.
