Kuki organisations in Manipur have planned a “coffin rally” in Churachandpur on Tuesday. The rally will honor ten Kuki-Zo youths allegedly killed in a gunfight with CRPF in Jiribam district.
Students Asked to Join
The Zomi Students’ Federation (ZSF), Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), and Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) urged schools and colleges to participate. They asked students from Class 10 and above to attend the rally. Participants were requested to wear black shirts as a mark of respect.
Organisers said they will carry ten symbolic coffins during the rally. The bodies of the deceased are still kept in a hospital mortuary.
Bodies Returned After Autopsy
After an autopsy in Silchar, Assam, the bodies arrived in Churachandpur on Saturday. However, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) delayed the funerals. They are waiting for postmortem reports before proceeding.
Police Describe the Gunfight
According to Manipur Police, the deceased were suspected militants. On November 11, they reportedly attacked Borobekra Police Station and a CRPF camp in Jakuradhor, Jiribam district. The attackers, dressed in camouflage and armed with advanced weapons, engaged in a fierce encounter with security forces.
Police also claimed that the militants abducted six civilians, including three women and three children, from the same area.
Ethnic Violence Continues
Since May last year, violence in Manipur has caused over 220 deaths and displaced thousands. The clashes involve Meiteis from the Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo groups from the hills.
Political Developments
On Monday, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) backed the state government. The NPF, an ally of the BJP with five MLAs, stated it would not withdraw support.
This came after the National People’s Party (NPP) pulled out of the N Biren Singh-led government on Sunday. The NPP, which holds seven seats in the assembly, blamed the government for failing to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy.