Newmai News Network
Imphal | December 16
A 24-hour Manipur state wide shutdown has been called by women vendors of the historic Ima markets at Khwairamband Keithel beginning 7 pm of Friday to protest the killing and injuring of state police personnel in three separate ambushes by suspected militants yesterday.
Women vendors in large number swarmed the Khwairamband Keithel in the heart of Imphal before taking out a protest rally. They walked up to the Raj Bhavan gate where a confrontation ensued between cops and the protesters who tried to break into the complex. They were then driven back towards Keishampat.
The vendors continued their rally taking Waheng Leikai road and finally returned to Khwairamband where they took the decision to impose the bandh from 7 pm of December 16 to 7 pm of December 17.
“The Centre has been bolstering up NSCN (IM)’s terror activities. The Naga insurgent group must be driven out of Manipur and the state government must take appropriate action against them,” demanded the agitating women vendors.
They demanded that the United Naga Council (UNC) immediately calls off the ongoing indefinite economic blockade and further demanded fitting punishment to the Naga body’s arrested president Gaidon Kamei and information secretary SK Stephen. The two UNC leaders must not be released, the women leaders demanded. “UNC is not a social orgnaisation and so it should be declared as a terrorist organisation. The Government of India must stop using NSCN (IM) as its weapon in perpetuating various crimes and terror activities,” the women protesters shouted.
Gaidon and Stephen are now in police custody in connection with different cases including spearheading the blockade that began from November 1.
Three Manipur Police personnel, including a head constable, were killed and another 11 injured in the three separate attacks by suspected militants on Imphal-Moreh road in the newly created Tengnoupal district and Noney district yesterday.
The attacks occurred at Lokchao, Bongyang on Imphal-Moreh highway and a football ground at Noney.
The cops were keeping vigil ahead of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s visit to Tengnoupal district for its inauguration when they were ambushed at Lokchao and Bongyang.
The Noney attack was carried out by unidentified armed men one day ahead of Ibobi’s visit to the new district for its inauguration.
The injured cops are being treated at Shija Hospital here following the incidents.