Manipur Shutdown Over Kuki Youths' Killing Paralyzes Kangpokpi district

IMPHAL: Normal life remained badly affected in Manipur's Kangpokpi district for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday as a tribal organisation continued its shutdown to protest against the alleged failure of the Manipur government to take action over the killing of two Kuki community youths.

A police officer said that shops, markets, business establishments, and educational institutions remained closed, and most vehicles remained off the roads due to the shutdown.

Several goods-laden vehicles bound for the state capital through National Highway-2 (NH-2) were also unable to enter Kangpokpi and remained stranded in neighbouring Senapati district, which is predominantly inhabited by the Naga community. Additional security forces had been deployed in the mountainous Kangpokpi district to prevent any untoward incident and maintain law and order during the shutdown.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a prominent Kuki-Zo organisation, had called the shutdown to condemn what it described as the state government's inaction over the killing of two Kuki civilians. It extended the shutdown, which was to conclude at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, for another 48 hours, in view of the "government's continued failure to take decisive and concrete action towards ensuring justice for the brutal killing of the two Kuki-Zo civilians and the fulfilment of the demands submitted in this regard".

"Any further failure to act decisively and deliver justice within this extended period will compel the Kuki-Zo people to intensify their democratic protest and pursue stronger collective measures. Should the situation deteriorate further as a consequence of the government's continued inaction, the sole responsibility shall rest with the government," the tribal body said in a statement.(IANS)

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