Imphal, October 26: Claiming that the three persons killed by Imphal East police commandos between KR Lane and Golapati yesterday at about 7.15 pm were all innocent students, the Kuki Students Organization (KSO) gen HQ has imposed a 24 hr State wide general strike beginning from midnight tonight.

Speaking at a press conference at the organisation's HQs today, Kuki Students Organization president K Khongsai while strongly condemning the killing of the three innocent students said that an indefinite bandh will also be carried out in all the hill dists including the two National Highways immediately after the proposed 24 hour bandh.

Demanding immediate termination of all the commandos involved in the inhuman act, Khongsai said that KSO would not take back the bodies nor hold talks with the Govt officials until and unless all the personnel involved in the crime were terminated.

He also demanded that the Govt should pay a sum of Rs 10 lakhs each to the family members of the three victims.

All major student organizations of the State have been intimated about the proposed bandh, said Khongsai and further urged the public to extend support and cooperation to the bandh called by the organization.

The victims have been identified as Limkhongam Baite (25) s/o (L) Lamkhosei Baite of Moreh Ward No V and residing at New Lambulane, Thangpou Baite (20) s/o Holkhai of New Lambulane and Moreh Ward No 1 and Hemmingthang Baite (18) s/o Jamkholun Baite of Moreh Ward No 1.Limkholun Baite was a TDC III yr (Geo Honours) at DM College while Thangpou Baite and Hemmingthang Baite were students of Moreh Govt High School.

All of them had arrived at Imphal after completing a training at Presbyterian Church Terakhong and were supposed to leave for their home town Moreh today morning.

However, the trio were gunned down by commandos while going to Kuki Baptist Church for fetching some religious books yesterday evening.

The bodies of all the three victims are presently lying at RIMS morgue without conducting the post mortem as the family members and concerned organizations have refused to take back the body.

Meanwhile, Zillai Headquarters (Vaiphei Students' Association) has strongly condemned the cold blooded killing of three innocent civilians and termed the act as senseless and barbaric.

Extending its strong support and cooperation to the agitation taken by the KSO against the killing, it also shares the pain and grief of the bereaved family members.

The New Lambulane Welfare Committee has also strongly condemned the killing of the three students.

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