In a fresh bout of violence, two persons were killed and several others injured in heavy firing between two groups on the boundary of the Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts in Manipur, hours before the state assembly session was convened on Tuesday. Officials said a village defence volunteer, who was staying at a relief camp, was killed when a bomb suddenly exploded.
More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3. Fresh exchange of heavy fire was reported from the border area of Kuki-dominated Churachandpur and Meitei-dominated Bishnupur districts. Apart from two deaths, another person was hit on his shoulder by a bullet and has been admitted to a hospital in Imphal, officials said, adding his condition is stable.
Meanwhile, four militants belonging to different outfits were arrested in separate operations and arms and ammunition were seized from them, police said on Tuesday.
Manipur One-Day Assembly Session
Four months since violence first erupted in the state, the first assembly session of Manipur was adjourned sine die within an hour of commencement after Congress MLAs created a ruckus demanding that the session be extended to five days. Opposition MLAs led by former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said one day was not enough to discuss the prevailing situation in the ethnic strife-torn state. All the 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven from the BJP, were absent from the House.
According to a report by The Hindu, it was the briefest session ever for the 60-member House as the session began at 11 a.m. and ended at 11:48 a.m. The Congress claimed that a discussion on the ongoing unrest in Manipur wasn't allowed.
“There was no agenda at all, no agenda for the people of Manipur. We wanted a discussion on the prevailing situation but the Speaker declined our request. On the agenda were two issues — obituary references and submission of the business advisory committee report,” Manipur Congress president K. Meghachandra said.
