Imphal, July 23 2009: Denouncing the reckless, mindless and unrestrained firing in the midst of busy Khwairamband market, the Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup, Khwairamband Keithel Phambi Apunba Ima Lup, Road-Side Vendors' Welfare Association, Khwai Central Ima Market, Nagamapal and the All Manipur Nupi Marup have jointly called a 24 hours State-wide bandh with effect from July 23 midnight.

Decrying the gun fight, which was staged with the full knowledge of heavy collateral casualty that would certainly result, the women groups asserted that the people of Manipur are fed up of such mindless acts of armed groups engaging each other in gun fights in busy places.

They also condemned the act of detaining women vendors' leaders L Mema and Jano Begum by Imphal West Additional SP Jhaljit in the custody of City Police on the charge of building up a mob in the aftermath of the shoot-out.

Many condemn: Many civil organisations have spontaneously condemned the shoot-out in the busy Khwairamband Keithel which also claimed the life of a young innocent woman.

In a press release, the All Manipur Youth Protection Committee (AMYPCO) condemned both the police and UG cadres for their unrestrained firing amidst thousands of people in the busy Khwairamband market.

It also appealed to both security forces and insurgents to avert such unrestrained firing in busy market and other places.

The Association of Independent Minds has also appealed to all concerned to avoid gun-fight in busy Khwairamband market where thousands of women are doing petty business for their daily bread.

The Nupi Keithel Semgat Shagatpa Marup, Khwairamband Bazar strongly condemned the gun fight right in the centre of a Khwairamband Keithel.

Expressing deep shock over the death of a woman after she was hit by a stray bullet, the Marup asked all armed groups, both State and non-State actors to combat and show their strength in isolated and uninhabited places.

A emergency meeting of the Khwairamband Nupi Keithel Sinpham Amadi Saktam Kanba Lup, Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL), Thangmeiband Apunba Nupi Lup (THANIL) ad Nongpok Leingak Nupi Lup Wangkhei have strongly condemned the shoot-out.

Because of such mindless acts, people are wary of both the security forces and the insurgents, they observed while appealing to both sides to avert such incidents under any circumstances at all cost.

It is morally unacceptable to cause death and injuries to innocent civilians in the attempts to apprehend a suspect or accused, they asserted.

The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has also come strongly against the shoot-out which claimed two lives besides injuring five people.

UCM president Yumnamcha Dilip appealed to all concerned not to repeat such gun-fights in populated areas in future.

Reveena's uncle M Premkumar also decried the gun-fight which smacked of recklessness on the part of both the security forces and the suspected UG cadre.

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