Guwahati
A couple of days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for sustaining the existing peace in strife-torn Manipur and said a resolution of the crisis was only possible through peace, heavy gunfire and resultant deaths of 3 persons, whose bodies were also badly mutilated, were reported from Ukhrul district on Friday.
This apart, the Manipur government has sought a report from the Churachandpur Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police over the display of sophisticated firearms by Kuki groups at an “unofficial” Independence Day parade.
In so far as the killings are concerned, mutilated bodies of three youths, agedbetween 24 years and 35 years, were found following heavy gunfire at Kuki Thowai village in Ukhrul district. Incidentally, this is the first time that an attack in the recent bout of violence has occurred in Ukhrul district, which is dominated by Tangkhul Nagas.
Sources said sounds of heavy gunfire were heard from the village, which falls in Litan police station area, early in the morning.
Officials said the bodies of the three youths were found after police carried out a thorough search in the surrounding villages and forest areas. Their bodies bore injury marks made using sharp knives while their limbs were also chopped off.
In his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed for sustaining the existing peace and said a resolution was possible only through peace. He also said that the country was with the people of Manipur.
As for the display of arms, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said his Government is investigating how the incident happened “although they were not part of the official Independence Day parade and were conducting it separately”.
State Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh said that lawful action will be taken against those displaying firearms at the parade. “A report has been sought from the DC and the SP over the display of sophisticated firearms by a group of people at an unofficial Independence Day parade at Churachandpur on August 15. Once the report comes, we will take lawful action against all of them (those displaying firearms),” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The State Security Advisor informed that over 1,250 firearms have been recovered so far from across the state. Firearms, ranging between 4000-6000, have been looted by mobs, some even led by women, from State police armouries during the last three months of ethnic clashes.
“Combing operations are being conducted regularly and firearms are being recovered on a daily basis,” he said.
MEANWHILE
A couple of days after 10 Kuki MLAs of Manipur requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a separate chief secretary and DGP (separate administration) for the Kuki-dominated hills areas in the northeastern state, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday asserted that everyone was entitled to speak freely in a democracy. Ten Kuki MLAs, including seven from the BJP, submitted a memorandum to Modi on Wednesday, requesting that “posts equivalent to chief secretary and DGP” be established in five hill districts of the state to ensure “efficient administration” in the wake of the state’s three-month ethnic violence.
