Manipur: Tribes body calls for 12-hour shutdown in Kuki dominated areas.

During the total shutdown, main markets, schools, and colleges located in the towns of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and other villages were closed Kuki Inpi Manipur’s (KIM), an apex group of the Kuki tribes, has called for a 12-hour total shutdown, endorsed by various Kuki-Zo civil bodies, on Wednesday, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of five Kuki-Zo individuals arrested by central forces on two different occasions from Tamenglong and Kangpokpi districts, respectively. The total shutdown was imposed in all the Kuki-Zo-dominated areas of Manipur on Wednesday from 6am to 6pm. The shutdown has affected normalcy in most of the Kuki-dominated areas of Manipur, including Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts. “The recent arrest of five Kuki-Zo individuals in the presence of Central Security Forces is critically alarming for the Kuki-Zo people, while valley-based militant groups are openly brandishing sophisticated arms and ammunition in the valley,” KIM, in its statement, said. It further stated that “the protest is against the gross injustice meted out to our people.” During the total shutdown, main markets, schools, and colleges located in the towns of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and other villages were closed. A large number of protesters demonstrated with sit-ins at different spots, including Tuibong, Peace Ground, Churachandpur; Leimakhong, Kangpokpi; and L Hengjol village, Kangpokpi district along National Highway 37 (Imphal Silchar via Jiribam road). Moreover, the protesters, including a large number of women, blocked NH-37 during the protest. On Tuesday late evening, the Kuki-Zo people of Kangpokpi district also protested outside the superintendent of police (SP) office of the district along NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur), demanding the unconditional release of the five individuals. Manipur police on Tuesday stated that among the five individuals, two were apprehended from Phaijol village, Tamenglong, following an attack by armed miscreants from the said village on Manipur police. The remaining three individuals belonged to a militant outfit and were apprehended by a combined team from L Hengjol village following a tip-off from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), police added. Police also stated that the three individuals, along with arms and ammunition, including one MA1 MK-3 rifle, two AK rifles, and one single-barrel bore rifle, were handed over to the NIA for further investigation.