Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Armed militants shot and killed 53-year-old farmer Haokholal Singsit at Govajang village on Saturday. The attack happened around 4 p.m. while the victim worked in his paddy field with his wife, Nemneikim. She escaped without injury. Thadou Inpi-Sadar Hills and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) blamed the NSCN-IM and the ZUF-Kamson group for the violence.
The killing occurred along the IT Road in the T. Vaichong Sub-Division. This area recently saw state-led search operations. CoTU spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen questioned how armed groups could move freely despite these security measures. He labeled the incident a product of Naga supremacist ideology. The killing is the second major strike on the IT Road following a June 9 attack in the Lasan area. Mourners gathered at the Kangpokpi Community Hall to pay respects after the post-mortem.
Thadou Inpi demanded the government arrest those responsible and clear the area of armed groups. “The people of Sadar Hills deserve to cultivate their fields and live peacefully without the threat of violence,” the organization stated. They urged state officials to boost security along the IT Road immediately.
Beyond the murder, CoTU leveled sharp criticism at Inner Manipur MP Bimol Akoijam. On July 13, the group accused the politician of stoking public anger during the July 11 unrest at Leimakhong. They claim his frequent attacks on the Indian Army and federal forces exceed his parliamentary duties. While CoTU condemned the burning of abandoned Meitei houses at Leimakhong, they demanded the release of civil society leaders detained following that unrest.
CoTU remains focused on the blockade of essential goods into Kangpokpi. They want the government to treat this supply disruption as a humanitarian crisis. The group praised the NIA, CRPF, and Manipur Police for arresting two suspects on July 10, but insist that the government must do more to ensure civilians can survive and work without fear.
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