Security personnel fired tear gas shells at protesters in Imphal after locals left the bodies of two men near the official residence of Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday.
The incident follows the alleged killing of two Meitei men by suspected militants after they went to collect firewood in a forest near the border of Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, officials said.
The deceased were identified as Arubam Ronil (35) and Lairenlakpam Inaobi (51). They had left their village to go to the nearby hills at around 7 am in a group of 16 people when they were allegedly ambushed by suspected militants at Khongbal Sunurok Uyok in Kangpokpi district, a few metres from Nongshum village in Imphal East.
Four others were injured in the firing, with one of them in serious condition. Three others have been missing since the incident.
According to one officer who spoke to HT, “Village head Thangjahou Haokip (48), and four others - Khailun Haokip (57), Seikhohou Haokip (36), Hegin Haokip (48) and Seipao Haokip (55) - were injured in the fresh violence. All the injured were rescued by Assam Rifles personnel and were taken to a hospital run by the paramilitary force in Chassad. Seikhohou succumbed to his injuries.”
Angry locals brought the bodies to Imphal and placed them outside the main gate of the Chief Minister's residence to protest the inaction against the killings and the ongoing violence in the state.
Security personnel deployed outside the bungalow were taken by surprise as the protesters brought in the bodies. They fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
The bodies were removed and taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for further procedures.
