Imphal, March 19: People of Mantripukhri area staged a sit-in-protest from 11 am till 4 pm to denounce the gunning down of several non-manipuris in the last few days even as Governor Dr SS sidhu joined the masses in condemning the dastardly acts.

The protest session held at near Mantripukhri Sahu mandav was organised by Mantripukhri Sahu Women's Society with a Society functionary appealing through the media to immediately stop such inhuman acts in future as the people want to live in peace.

A statement issued by the Governor's Secretariat conveyed of Dr sidhu expressing deep anguish and pain over the loss of several lives apart from terming the killings as heinous and cowardly acts.

Extending solidarity to the bereaved families the Governor also asked the Chief Minister to ensure that adequate security measures are taken up to check recurrence of such incidents as well as bring the guilty ones to justice.

Meanwhile, All manipur United Clubs' Organisation (Amuco), Manipur Forward Youth Front, All Manipur Bar Association, Threatened Indigenous Peoples' Society (TIPS) and New Delhi-based North East Support Centre & Helpline have strongly condemned the killing of non-Manipuris.

An AMUCO release, while conceding that influx of outsiders into Manipur had been multiplying socio-economic problem currently besieging the local population, expressed that killing of innocent labourers has no room in the Manipuri society.

Opining that the killings resemble and reflect racist attitude of the perpetrators which the society will never condone, the body also insisted that prompt imposition of curfew would only add to hardships of the working class.

Further observing that mere clamping of public curfew cannot guarantee that the gruesome acts will not be repeated, AMUCO cautioned the State authorities to ensure that investigation into the incidents lead to judicious and logical conclusion unlike similar measures taken up by the Government after the bomb blasts at ISKCON and finding of which is kept under wraps.

While condemning the killings, TIPS asked for clarification from those involved in the ghastly acts.

Reminding that at the present context, the international community has been keeping a close tab on any development taking place in the State, a TIPs release insisted that in case of failure to clarify there is no guarantee from Manipur being categorised as a 'terrorist Nation'.

In its condemnation statement, the Monsang Students' Union asserted that such killings contradict outcries from the North Eastern region whenever atrocities are committed against the NE girls in other parts of India.

While the people of the region had been decrying alleged ill-treatment of North Easterners by people of mainland India, the Union in a release reminded that mindless killing would only aggravate the situation.

One or two (people) might pose danger, if at all, but the killer/s should think twice that the real problem lies not with the innocent immigrant workers but with the policy makers, added the students' body while conveying solidarity to the bereaved families.

Lambasting those involved in the killing of immigrant workers, the Zeliangrong Students' Union (Barak Valley) highlighted to all concerned that such undesired act would put at risk students pursuing education outside the NE region.

political parties, student bodies and civil society organisations that joined in condemning the killings include Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, Manipur Loumi Lup, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Manipur State Committee of Students' Federation of India, Keibi Kumuda Development Committee, North Eastern Trainees' Association (Kangla Sangomsang), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) Manipur State Committee, All India Students' Federation Manipur State Council, Manipur State Council of All India Youth Federation, All Manipur Nupi Marup, Manipur state Council of Communist Party of India, Centre for Organisation Research & Education and All Manipur Students' Union.