Total shutdown in Churachandpur affects normal life; ITLF serves 48-hour ultimatum to release arrested persons

Normal life in Churachandpur district of Manipur came to a grinding halt on Monday following the total shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and Joint Students Body, Lamka, against the alleged unwarranted abduction of six civilians.

The shutdown was imposed to show the people's disappointment over the arrest of the Kuki-Zo civilians including two minors who were alleged to have been involved in the killing of two Meitei teenagers in July last and demanded their release within 48-hours.

Volunteers supporting the shutdown took to the streets and placed barricades along the main roads in different locations and stopped movement of vehicles in the district. However, emergency services were given free passage during the shutdown.

Shutters were down in the market areas and even in the localities. Government offices also remain closed.

Earlier on Sunday evening after receiving information about the arrest of the 6 Kuki Zo individuals,  womenfolks who demanded the release of the abducted individuals, gathered in front of the Superintendent of Police office and Mini-Secretariat, Lamka, last night and staged a sit-in protest. However, the womenfolks were convinced by the leaders of the district civil society organizations to return home after hours of protest.

The six individuals were reportedly intercepted by a joint team of CBI and security forces in plain clothes near Kangvai while they were travelling towards Lamka town from Leimata village under Churachandpur district at around 8:40 am in the morning on Sunday.

The abducted persons are identified as Seimalsom @BoisomHaokip, president kuki Students Organisation Leimata block, Paominlun Haokip secretaryKSO leimata block, Lhingneichong Haokip, Tinneilhing, Tingneikhol (11 years)and Kimeijam(9 years)

While condemning the act of transporting even children alongwith those arrested, the JSB also warned that in the future, any person with arms moving around in plain clothes would be stopped and action would be taken against them.

The ITLF in its statement had also warned of intensifying the agitation in hill districts of Manipur if the arrested individuals are not released within 48 hours. It also declared that all the boundary areas with Meitei would be sealed from Monday (October 2) and that  no one would be allowed to leave or enter the buffer zones.

Till the filing of this report, there was no report of any untoward incident due to the total shutdown.