Ukhrul limping back to normalcy
12507 denizens petition Prime Minister for 'judicial inquiry' into August 30 firing
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray

Ukhrul, September 08 2014: A petition signed by 12507 denizens of Ukhrul town was on Monday submitted to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing for "centrally-constituted judicial investigation" into the August 30 incident and withdrawal of state forces from district headquarters.

On Monday evening in the presence of media persons, a group of youths submitted the memorandum to the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner and urged him to forward the same to country's Prime Pinister on priority basis.

The signature campaign was an initiative of some youth activists and garnered nearly 13,000 signatories in less than two days.

The petition expressed concern over the fluid situation before and after the August 30 incident, in which two innocent civilians were killed by state forces and 35 people were hurt in police action during the UNC-sponsored peace rally in Ukhrul town.

On receiving the petition with signatures running over 100s of pages, DC Modak Hrisheekesh Arvind assured the youths of taking up relevant steps through proper channel at the earliest time.

A statement in the petition mentioned that the post-mortem report of the slain men indicated that Mayopam Ramror and Ramkashing Vashi died of fatal wound from gunshot�which came from high caliber weapons used by counter-insurgency forces.

The petitioners demand for immediate institution of "judicial investigation" into the incident.

It also urged the Prime Minister for immediate withdrawal of police commandos and Indian Reserved Battalion from Ukhrul district.

Meanwhile, the Ukhrul town is limping back to normalcy with the state Home Department lifting the section 144 CrPC Act after an order issued on Sunday evening.

Residents go about with their regular activities and vehicles ply on the thoroughfares of the town, albeit the UNC's ban on vehicular traffic on state and national highway.

On Tuesday, Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) would stage a two-hour sit-in protest at Gandhi Chowk in Ukhrul under the aegis of Naga Women Union Manipur from 11 PM.

A similar protest would also be held in three other Naga districts demanding for acceptable and honourable settlement of Indo-Naga peace process, expediting the tripartite talks on "alternative arrangement" and for protection of constitutional rights of the tribals and Nagas.

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