Strike protest against killings by Kuki militants turns violent, one dead

Imphal: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) against killing of two people by Kuki militants evoked violent protest in Manipur, leading to another death.
A 24-hour state-wide general strike called by the JAC that began midnight on Thursday night, turned violent with protestors burning vehicles at Patsoi, Imphal West.
A man was killed during the violence. Police was investigating.
They said an injured man, lying near the road, was rushed to the RIMS by the strike supporters. However, he died on the way to hospital. Protestors piled on burnt tyres and wood on NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam road) .
To control the situation the Manipur government has imposed curfew at Patsoi area from where the two youths hailed. Earlier, three workers were kidnapped by KRF cadres from Senapati district and two were killed on May 12 while the third one was rescued. Defying the curfew, people came out and clashed with the police.
Large number of police personnel have rushed to the spot. Sporadic firing can be heard throughout the area.
Educational institutes, business establishments and banks were closed in view of the strike. Vehicles too had stopped plying. Police said so far there were reports of four vehicles being damaged by the strike supporters.
The Joint Action Committee has demanded that the government should suspend the suspension of Operations (SoO) with Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRF) which killed the two people and tortured a 13-year-old boy.
The KRF had clarified that the two youths died during interrogation. Civil organisations and government machineries were trying to resolve the crisis as the perpetrator and the victims were from different communities.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has condemned the killings and termed the killers as beasts. His deputy Gaikhangam said so far eight suspects had been rounded up from KRF camps in Senapati district.
Meanwhile, the State Cabinet decided to take up the issue of violation of ground rules by the militant groups under SoO agreement with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The State Cabinet has also decided to provide  an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs each to the families of all the three persons killed, Rs 1 lakh to persons with serious injuries and Rs 20.000 to those with minor injury. (UNI)