Guwahati/Imphal: A fresh spasm of violence gripped Manipur on Monday as a 17-year-old Naga student was shot dead in Tamenglong district, even as protests erupted in Imphal over the release of seven Kuki villagers detained by the CRPF.
The victim has been identified as NK Wiphenbou, a member of the Liangmai Naga community, who was killed around 10:05 am between Upper Takou and Malek village in Tamenglong, according to local accounts.
The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga body in the state, denounced the incident as a “cold-blooded murder by Kuki militants” who are signatories to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
In a statement, the council said: “The continued killings, arson, and gun violence against the indigenous communities, the rightful masters of the soil, is a direct consequence of abject state security failure and willful complicity.” It called on all Nagas to remain alert and united to defend “our lives, lands, homes, and future from this external aggression.”
The Working Committee, Joint Tribes Council Manipur (WC-JTCM) urged state and central authorities to condemn the killing and initiate “immediate, decisive, and viable action” against SoO groups violating the pact, as reported by The New Indian Express.
It demanded swift identification, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators, along with immediate security measures to protect vulnerable Naga villages, warning: “The charade of the SoO agreement must end if it only serves to provide impunity to terrorists.”
‘Blatant Betrayal’ Over Release Of Seven
The WC-JTCM also lashed out at the state government over the release of seven Kuki villagers hours after they were detained by the CRPF, terming the move a “blatant betrayal of the Naga people and a criminal abetment of terrorism.”
Protests were held in Imphal on Monday against the release, with demonstrators demanding the re-arrest of the seven and urging authorities to end what they described as the selective application of the law.
The CRPF had freed the seven on Saturday night after their detention triggered violent protests in Kangpokpi district, where a mob chased security vehicles, pelted stones and even dug a national highway to block their movement.