Imphal, 19 October (HS): In a protest against the continued violence in Manipur, angry residents on Monday brought the bodies of two persons killed in a suspected militant attack and left them outside the gate of the Chief Minister’s bungalow.

The attack occurred around 9.40 am at Nongshum, Khongbal Thangkhul, a peripheral area along the Imphal East-Kangpokpi district boundary. Preliminary reports indicated that suspected armed miscreants targeted a group of people who had gone to the hills to collect firewood. Two persons were killed, while three others sustained injuries.

Security personnel rushed to the scene following the incident, and the injured were shifted to a hospital in Imphal for treatment.

The protesters brought the bodies to the Chief Minister’s residence to express their anger over the recurring killings and the prevailing security situation in the state. Subsequently, a police team from Imphal West took possession of the bodies and shifted them to the mortuary at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).

Security arrangements were strengthened around the Chief Minister’s bungalow following the protest. Movement along the adjoining route was restricted, with commuters prevented from passing through the area.

The latest incident has intensified public resentment over the continuing violence in Manipur. Further details regarding the identities of the deceased and the circumstances of the attack were awaited.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash