Daily life in Churachandpur district, Manipur, came to a halt on Friday as members of a tribal group enforced an indefinite shutdown to protest the killing of an elderly Kuki woman. The shutdown was organized by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF). Shops, markets, and other commercial establishments were closed, and traffic was heavily disrupted. Protesters, many of whom were women associated with the ITLF, staged road blockades while expressing their outrage over the death of 77-year-old Hoikholhing Haokip, who was reportedly the wife of the village chief in Langchingmanbi.
Haokip lost her life during a gunfire exchange between security forces and unidentified armed assailants on Thursday evening. This confrontation occurred during a security operation in the regions of Langchingmanbi and Heichanglok. Gunmen allegedly opened fire on approaching security personnel, initiating a retaliatory gunfight that resulted in Haokip being fatally wounded.
The security operation was in response to an earlier shooting incident in which a 60-year-old farmer, Ningthoujam Biren, was injured by armed miscreants while working in the fields in Bishnupur district. He was shot in the left arm when gunfire erupted from nearby hills.
Attendance at government offices was notably low, and schools were closed due to the protests, according to local officials. The ITLF has called for decisive action from the central government to protect tribal communities and their ancestral lands. The group is also seeking a transparent and independent investigation into the violations of designated buffer zones in areas affected by violence.
In a related development, a separate 24-hour shutdown began in Kangpokpi district at 1:00 PM on Friday, supported by the Committee on Tribal Unity and various civil society groups from Churachandpur. The Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) condemned the incident, describing it as “brutal” and “a grim reminder of the ongoing ethnic cleansing and targeted violence” against the Kuki community. KWOHR claims that Haokip was “shot dead by Meitei militants.”
Ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities have surged since May 2023, resulting in over 260 deaths and the displacement of thousands. Following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on February 13, the central government imposed President’s Rule in Manipur. The state assembly is currently in suspended animation, with its term extending through 2027.
Original Source: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/manipur-indefinite-shutdown-in-churachandpur-after-elderly-kuki-woman-killed-in-crossfire-1781660
Category: India
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Publish Date: 2025-06-20 17:25:00
