Imphal, February 18 2009: The Working Committee of Apunba Lup has demanded immediate arrest of Ukhrul District Deputy Commissioner, Pankaj Kumar Pal in connection with the brutal murder of Dr Thingnam Kishan, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Kasom Khullen Sub-Division and two of his staff by some armed persons.

Assistant Co-ordinator of the Working Committee of Apunba Lup, Elangbam Johnson today told newspersons at a press conference held at the Manipur Press Club at Major Khul here that in order to make the 48-hour state-wide general strike successful, the people of Manipur will now support the general strike.

A public meeting will be held on February 20 at 11 am at the Yumnam Leikai Lairembi ground to chalk out further course of agitation and demands of the people, he said.

Johnson announced that since cooperation of all communities living together in Manipur such as Naga, Kuki, Pangal and Meitei is most necessary, a joint meeting of all civil society organisations based in hills and valley has been convened on February 21 at 11.30 am at the Manipur Press Club.

Open invitation is being extended to all the CSOs based in the hills to participate in the meeting, Johnson said.

He further said that out of six persons who were abducted, three were found hacked and bludgeoned to death, and three were still missing.

He appealed for safe release of the three other persons whose whereabouts are still unknown.

He said, the people of Manipur, where different communities are settled together, have been enduring various incidents of violence.

But the recent act of selective murder should be stopped.

Convenor of the JAC against the brutal killings of Kasom Khullen SDO and two other staff, Sapam Sovakiran, who also addressed the press conference, said that Dr Thingnam Kishan along with five other persons went to attend a meeting called by Ukhrul DC at his office in Ukhrul headquarters at 7 am of February 13 .

He said, after the meeting was over at 2 pm on that day, the six persons including the SDO had been abducted.

As soon as the meeting was over, the DC had taken leave.

He did not lodge any complaint with the police in connection with the abduction of six persons including the SDO.

This is highly suspicious, Sovakiran said.

The failure of the state government to book those involved in the gruesome murder by using its state forces and the central security forces demonstrates that the government is strong only in the valley areas and is a zero in the hills, he said.

He further informed that the three Tangkhuls, whose whereabouts are still unknown, are all residing at Lamphel Sanakeithel.

However, on hearing that three Meiteis who went together with the three Tangkhuls were found murdered, the families of the three Tangkhuls had fled yesterday.

Therefore, it has given rise to the suspicion that there is a hidden agenda.

Social worker and Advocate Khaidem Mani who was also present at the press conference observed that the people's agitation should not go the communal line.

The Ukhrul DC should be arrested and interrogated.

The Manipur government should press the state and central forces into service to launch a massive combing operation in Ukhrul district to arrest the murderers.

No designated camp of NSCN-IM should be allowed to be opened in Manipur, Khaidem Mani asserted.

Co-ordinators of Apunba Lup, Babloo Laishram, Sunil Karam and Langdon were also among those representatives of student bodies, CSOs and Meira Paibee organisations who attended the press conference.

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