Curfew, indefinite bandh on
Killing sparks tension at Moreh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 03: Tension is running high at the border town after suspected Kuki armed cadres shot dead a civilian near the Community Variety Market today morning.

Enraged over the killing, a large number of civil society organisations based at Moreh have imposed an indefinite bandh and with tension running high, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Moreh has also issued an order clamping curfew.

The deceased is identified as Yumnam Roshan Meitei (22) son of Y Ibobi Singh of Moreh Ward number 7.He was shot on the right cheek with the bullet piercing through the neck.

Immediately after being shot, Roshan was rushed to Moreh hospital but passed away on the way.

The body has been brought back to Moreh after post mortem at Imphal .

The people and family members have however refused to take back the body and it is being kept at Moreh police station.

The gunmen numbering two then made good their escape through New Moreh ward number 9 after firing three rounds in the air.

A street at Moreh wears a deserted look following the bandh and curfew imposed after the killing of a man

As news of the day light murder started doing the round, enraged people streamed out from their homes and convened a public meeting at Ima market and after discussing the matter decided to impose the indefinite bandh.

All the vehicles left the border town while shops downed shutters.

The bandh however is relaxed for essential services including electricity, water supply and medical services.

The organisations which have imposed the bandh include Kha Nongpok Apunba Nupi Lup, Nupi Khunai Chaokhat Lamjing Lup, Meetei Council, AMSU Chandel unit, Chandel District Development Society, Women Development Association, Moreh, Muslim Nagar and Minority Women Development Society.

The bandh will go on until the murderers are booked by the Govt.The organisations have also demanded the removal of the 'communal' 24 Assam Rifles from Moreh.

After the bandh was enforced a meeting was held at the office of Meetei Council and a JAC Against the Killing of Yumnam Roshan Meitei was formed.

Kh Keina Leima and Konthoujam Memchoubi Devi have been appointed as the joint convenors of the JAC.

Later speaking to Moreh based correspondents, the two convenors said that they will go on with their protest until their demands are met.

"Even if it takes us 100 years to achieve our demands, we will continue," they declared.

A large number of people have already been killed by Kuki militants at Moreh, they contended and added that no clarifications in any of the case have been given.

Moreover levelling charges after killing is not acceptable.

They also recalled the killing of Chandel district AMSU president Sunil Agarwal last year.

The two women leaders also noted that the security personnel did not launch any manhunt to track down the killers of Roshan.

This shows that the 24 Assam Rifles and some Kuki armed groups are bent on fomenting communal trouble.

To pre-empt at further trouble from breaking out, the ADC of Moreh has issued prohibitory orders and clamped curfew.

Additional security led by the DIG Range Iand SP of Chandel have also arrived at the border town to stake stock of the situation.