24-hr Moreh bandh affects normal life
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Moreh/Imphal, March 12 2013: Normal life in the border township Moreh remained to a grinding halt on account of the 24-hour bandh called by various organizations in protest against the bomb attack by unidentified armed miscreants at the Moreh Ward no.III residence of Lhunkhosei Zou, Chairman of Autonomous District Council (ADC), Chandel last evening.

The bomb attack left Dounglenzou (50), who is the brother-in-law of the ADC chairman injured.

Spearheaded by Hill Tribal Council (HTC), Moreh and backed by several organisations, the 24-hour bandh started since last midnight.

All the business establishments remained closed and the transport services stayed off the road, putting normal activities in the border town to a grinding halt.

However, students appearing exams were exempted from the purview of the bandh.

There was no report of any untoward incident during the course of the bandh till the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the bomb attack has drawn strong condemnations from various social organizations.

Following the incident, a joint emergency meeting of Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Students' Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ) was held at New Lambulane here today.

KIM and KSO took serious note of the fact that Moreh has become a victim of perpetual bomb attacks over the last couple of months and the public speculations that these attacks could have been the handiwork of the state agencies.

"Last year, when the state government deployed police commandos in the border town, Moreh denizens had openly resisted the deployment of police commandos in the town, saying 'enough forces, including Assam Rifles, Manipur police and Manipur Rifles are already posted at Moreh, there is no need for police commandos,'" the meeting recalled.

"However, the state government had justified its action by saying it is enhancing the security measurement to contain law and order situation of the town," the Kuki bodies said while adding, "In fact, things are quite on contrary to the claim of the government and what we have witnessed today" .

The KIM and KSO then demanded that the government and the local authority to leave no stone unturned to nab the culprits responsible for the attack on the ADC chief and also that the police forces should beef up security and intelligence network in the town to maintain rule of law.

"The attackers must be hunted down promptly to get to the bottom of things; and also to get rid of the peoples' skeptical perception about the capabilities of police forces," the two Kuki organisations further demanded.

The KSO and KIM also wanted the assailants to spelt out the reasons for the attack on the ADC chairman and his family.

"Should this be about monetary demand or dispute, the people or the party involved is advised to stop immediately as this act of injustice has no place in any civilized society," they stated.

Members of Autonomous District Council (ADC), Chandel have also come out strongly against the bomb attack of unidentified armed miscreants at the Moreh Ward No.III residence of Lhukhosei Zou , Chairman, ADC of Chandel last evening.

In a meeting today, the ADC members denounced the bomb attack as barbaric and appealed to the Government to arrest the culprits immediately.

Making it clear to all concerned that they are purely for the welfare and development of the people in Chandel district, members of ADC Chandel have also expressed solidarity to the Chairman and wished for immediate recovery of the injured.

Zou Sangnaupang Pawlp (Zou Students' Association, Chandel and Mantuang Phungpi Organidation, Sugnu Block have also strongly condemned the bomb attack at the residence of Chairman of ADC Chandel.

Thadou Students' Association, Chandel district has also condemned the bomb attack at the residence of Lunkhosei Zou, Chairman of Autonomous District Council, Chandel at Moreh Ward No 3 last evening by unidentified persons and appealed to the group or individuals involved not to repeat such anti-social activities in the future in the interest of promotion of peace and co-existence in the society.

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