Manipur: Tribals killed in encounter with CRPF, other incidents to be laid to rest tomorrow

Imphal, Dec 4 (IANS) Around 10 persons who were killed in the exchange of fire with CRPF in Manipur's Jiribam district on November 11 along with two others would be laid to rest tomorrow in Churachandpur, Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) leaders announced on Wednesday.

Mizoram Chief Minister's Adviser H Ginzalala, leaders of the Young Mizo Association, various tribal communities and Church leaders would present at the mass burial.

According to the ITLF leaders, the bodies of the 12 Kuki-Zo-Hmar youths were taken out from the hospital morgue and sent to the kins of the slain youths.

A senior ITLF leader said that before Thursday's mass burial, a massive silent rally would be taken out.

“Student organisations are requested to arrange placards and banners for the rally. There will be a total shutdown on Thursday, to mark the respect for our martyrs,” ITLF said.

Thursday's entire funeral programme will be held in two sessions. The first session would start at 11 am in Peace Ground in Tuibuong, where people from all sections of society will pay their last respects.

The second session would begin at 2 pm at Martyrs Cemetery in Sehken, where the deceased will be given a "gun salute by village volunteers", followed by the burial of the bodies.

Meanwhile, thousands of people on November 19 took part in a 'coffin rally' in Manipur’s Churachandpur in solidarity with the 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal 'Village Volunteers'.

Jointly organised by various tribal organisations, thousands of men and women wearing black attire symbolically carried 10 dummy coffins to pay homage to the 10 slain ‘Village Volunteers’.

After the post-mortem of all 10 bodies along with two other bodies was conducted in Assam’s Silchar Medical College and Hospital, the bodies were airlifted on November 16 to Churachandpur, a Kuki-Zo-Hmar inhabited district.

The Manipur Police earlier claimed that all 10 ‘militants’ were killed in retaliatory firing by the CRPF after they attacked the CRPF camp and the adjoining police station at Jakuradhor village in Jiribam district’s Borobekra sub-division on November 11.

Two CRPF jawans also suffered injuries in the gun battle.

However, the ITLF, Kuki-Zo Council and Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) have been claiming that all 10 slain ‘Hmar Village Volunteers’ were engaged to protect the villagers.

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