Imphal, December 24 2009: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has called upon all civil society organisations of the State to find the causes and circumstances and work towards an amicable solution.

Otherwise, if the incident is perceived on communal lines, the incident may flare up, the UCM cautioned in a press release.

It called upon all to work towards strengthening the age-old fraternal bond among different ethnic communities of the State.

Recounting the incident of December 22, the UCM said that Nongbrang womenfolk were staging a protest sitting blocking the road against the persistent harassment and bullying by KNF (P) in their village.

As the womenfolk were blocking the road, some people arrived there in two four wheeler topless vehicles and they tried to breach the blockade forcibly saying that they were on their way to deliver weapons of KNF (P).

But the womenfolk blocked them.

At this, they communicated in their wireless sets.

Shortly after, around 15/20 cadres wearing plain and combat fatigue arrived at the scene.

Then they opened fire towards the unarmed women protesters resulting in bullet injuries to three women, one of them seriously.

Enraged by the assault on unarmed women, the villagers chased the KNF (P) cadres.

The villagers could lay their hands on two of them and they were beaten to death, the UCM said.

Saying that two innocent civilians of Nongbrang village have been taken into the custody of Thoubal Police, the UCM conveyed that the villagers staged a demonstration in front of Yairipok police station decrying arrest of the two villagers in the name of killing.

Maintaining that two individuals were killed in a mob action, the villagers courted mass arrest in case any one of the villagers should be arrested.

The Government's tactics of eye-washing the people by giving assurance that the killers would be arrested within a definite deadline was not a right step, the UCM observed.

The Government should find out the causes of the incident and work towards an amicable solution.

It would not be right for the Government to turn against innocent civilians instead of taking necessary actions against KNF (P) which is under SoO pact with both the State and Central Governments.

Reminding Chief Minister O Ibobi's repeated assurance that any UG group under SoO pact violating ground rules would be dealt with strictly, the UCM urged upon the Chief Minister to keep his assurance.