Total shutdown in Imphal Valley to protest 'abduction' of six people in Jiribam

Imphal, Nov 12 (PTI) Thirteen civil society organisations called for a total shutdown in the five districts of the Imphal Valley on Tuesday evening, protesting the alleged abduction of six people in Jiribam and the "coordinated attacks" in multiple places in the region.

Police said purported photographs of the six missing persons in captivity of militants doing the rounds on social media could not be confirmed, and an operation was underway to trace them.

The shutdown began at 6 pm, and will continue for 24 hours, civil body International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) said in a statement.

"We demand the immediate rescue of the six abducted people. Kuki militants are engaging in attacks on defenceless Meitei people without any impunity. There is no rule of law in the state. The government has completely failed to protect civilians from coordinated attacks by militants at Koutruk, Senjam Chirang and Kadangband," the statement said.

Among these 13 civil society bodies are the All Clubs Organisations Association and Meira Paibi Lup (ACOAM Lup), Indigenous People's Association of Kangleipak (IPAK) and Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA).

The Manipur Police said 10 militants were killed after security forces retaliated an attack on the Borobekra police station and a nearby CRPF camp on Monday afternoon. However, a senior government official had put the toll at 11.

Around 100 people were staying at the relief camp on the police station compound. Following the attack, the bodies of two elderly people have been recovered and another three have been rescued, while three women and three children remained untraced.

Jiri Apunba Lup, the apex Meitei body in Jiribam, claimed the six missing persons were of the same family.

Following the gunfight in Jiribam, fresh violence was reported from multiple places in Imphal Valley where armed groups from the two warring sides engaged in exchanges of fire, police said.

The Jiribam United Committee also called on authorities to take urgent action to "free" the six individuals and ensure their safe return.

It condemned the killing of the two elderly persons and expressed deep concern over the violence in Jiribam.

Meitei group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also demanded the immediate "rescue" of the six people, alleging that negligence by both state and central forces resulted in the incident.

Tagging PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM N Biren Singh, Congress's Inner Manipur MP Bimol Akoijam posted on X, "Do whatever you must with all the resources under your command to ensure their safety and freedom from their armed "Kuki" abductors. God forbid, if anything untoward happens to these innocent women and children, you shall be solely responsible." PTI CORR SOM