Apex Meitei body calls 'public emergency' in Manipur; urges people to stay indoor

Imphal, Sep 6 (IANS) The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community, on Friday called a "public emergency" and urged the people to remain indoors, claiming "the government failed to provide security to the common people".

COCOMI coordinator Thokchom Somorendro, announcing the "public emergency" said on Friday evening that all schools, colleges and educational institutions must be shut indefinitely till the "situation improves".

He said that the security forces had totally failed in discharging their duty and combating the Kuki militants.

"Now the public have to secure themselves. We have declared a 'public emergency' immediately. Because it has now become unsafe for the public to move outdoors," the COCOMI leader told the media.

Earlier on Friday, thousands of men and women in five districts of Imphal Valley on Friday took part in a human chain rally, to protest the recent drone and gun attacks in Manipur that killed three persons, including a 31-year-old woman and injured 17 others, including the woman's minor daughter.

Carrying placards and banners, participants in the human chain expressed their discontent over the government's steps in dealing with Kuki militants.

Organised by the COCOMI, hundreds of school and college students as well as elderly persons participated in the human chain rallies in Thoubal, Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Kakching districts, raising slogans and condemning the recent attacks in Koutruk and Senjam Chirang.

These five districts in the valley areas are inhabited by the majority Meitei community people.

During the human chain protest rallies, all the markets were closed, and vehicles remained off the roads.

On Friday, a 71-year-old man was killed and five others sustained injuries as suspected Kuki militants in the strife-torn northeastern state targeted former Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng's residence in Bishnupur district by lobbing a "powerful bomb".

According to police, the bomb which was lobbed from a long range fell on the compound of ex-CM Koireng's residence, killing the elderly man on the spot. Koireng and his family members were not in the house during the bomb attack.

The deceased, identified as R.K. Rabei, was preparing for some local religious ceremony when the bomb exploded. Five others, including a 13-year-old girl, suffered splinter injuries and were shifted to the hospital.

The "powerful bomb", which was detonated remotely, fell at a spot that is around 2 km from the Indian National Army (INA) headquarters, where on April 14, 1944, Lt Col Shaukat Ali of the INA hoisted the Tricolour for the first time on Indian soil under the guidance of INA Supreme Commander Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

On September 1 and 2, two persons -- including a woman -- were killed, and 12 others injured in the attacks by suspected Kuki militants using drones and sophisticated weapons at Sejam Chirang and nearby Koutruk villages in Imphal West and Imphal East districts on September 1 and 2.

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