Imphal, Sep 03: After the agreement signed between the JAC against the killing of Longjam Surjit by Maratha LI and the Chief Minister was rejected yesterday by the people of Samurou, Mayai Lambi remained closed today too.

In connection with the killing of L Surjit by troops of Maratha LI, a public meeting was also held today at Samurou Bazar.

The meeting took strong exception against the practice of pronouncing guilt after killing an innocent person by placing arms beside the deceased and later claiming that arms were recovered from the deceased.

It also resolved that the State Government should not treat human lives as commodities by giving ex-gratia amount to the kins of the deceased.

Further, it urged the people of Manipur not to compromise in case of human rights violations with ex-gratia amounts.

Rather, the public meeting urged the State Government to award commensurate punishment to the guilty security personnel and to avert killing of innocent persons by law enforcing agencies in future.

Observing that the monthly salaries of State employees and other funds meant for development schemes have been diverted for payment of ex-gratia amounts, it cautioned the State Government to give up the habit of exchanging the lives of innocent citizens with ex-gratia amounts.

The meeting which was also participated by activists of the Apunba Lup strongly condemned the killing of innocent Manipuris and rampant violation of human rights at will by security forces.

Contending that Surjit was not killed in encounter but murdered in cold blood, people enforced bandh at several places along Mayai Lambi, no vehicles including two wheelers were seen plying along the road.

Moreover, wakat meephams were also witnessed in many places in protest against the alleged cold blooded murder.

Maratha LI has claimed that Surjit was killed in an encounter and that arms were recovered from him which is contradictory to the claim of the Samurou people that Surjit went out on August 31 to herd in his horse and that he was innocent.

The JAC constituted in connection with the killing had agreed yesterday to take the body and to suspend the Mayai Lambi bandh.

However, the terms of the agreement were flatly rejected by the people resulted in the continued enforcement of the Mayai Lambi bandh.

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