Normal life came to a standstill in most of the hill districts in Manipur on Monday due to the 12-hour general strike called by the United Naga Council (UNC) in protest against the killing of a Naga woman on July 15. The 55-year-old woman was shot dead at Keibi in Imphal east district.
Normal life was paralysed in the Naga-dominated hill districts. Police said government offices, banks and business establishments did not function while vehicles were off the roads. They added that nine persons were arrested during the day, while two guns and five live rounds of ammunition were recovered.
Reports said that houses of two of the accused in the case related to the woman’s death were torched by villagers in Keibi. Family members of the accused had already fled the village, the reports added.
Massive rally
A large number of women on Monday took out a massive rally in Imphal town demanding a clear statement from the government on whether it can control the law and order situation in Manipur.
The women holding Indian flags were stopped at the Singjamei market about 4 km from the office of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. “I don’t know why security forces are stopping our rally. They did not intervene when thousands gathered recently asking the CM not to resign,” one protester said. They also questioned the silence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the continuing bloodshed in Manipur. The women dispersed after blocking Highway 102 for some time.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) held a press conference on Monday asking CM Singh to resign.
The ethnic violence in Manipur has claimed over 140 lives so far while several more have been injured. Houses and other property have also been destroyed in the violence.
