In the minority-dominated Lilong Chingjao area of Manipur’s Thoubal district, the atmosphere remained both calm and tense following an incident where unidentified assailants gunned down four villagers. Additional security forces were deployed to the region to maintain order. The toll from the incident rose to four after one more individual succumbed to injuries, while two critically injured persons are receiving treatment in the ICU of an Imphal-based hospital. The assailants, donned in camouflage uniforms, had arrived in Lilong Chingjao to allegedly “extort money” on Monday night, resulting in an altercation. The situation escalated when locals attempted to chase the gunmen away, leading to indiscriminate gunfire and casualties.
The aftermath witnessed heightened tension on Monday night, but the situation was defused through an inter-faith meeting organized by civil society leaders, along with assurances from Lilong MLA Abdul Nasir and Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The authorities pledged to arrest and punish the culprits according to the law. Additional security measures, including increased vehicular patrolling, were implemented in the area to prevent any potential untoward incidents. Meanwhile, a curfew was imposed in five districts of Imphal Valley due to the prevailing law and order situation, impacting vehicular movement and commercial activities. The deceased individuals were identified as Md Daulat, M Sirajuddin, Md Azad Khan, and Md Hussain, with several others injured in the attack and undergoing treatment in hospitals. Enraged locals retaliated by setting fire to the vehicles used by the attackers, although ownership details remain unclear. Chief Minister Singh condemned the violence in a video message, assuring that those responsible would be apprehended and punished in accordance with the law, while local MLA Abdul Nasir expressed confidence in the imminent capture of the culprits.
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