Manipur tribal body forcibly locks government offices over Phailengmol incident

With a mere three days left until the first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha polls, Kangpokpi District, set to vote in this phase, witnessed the indefinite closure of Government offices in the District Headquarters today, amplifying the resounding roar of the Kuki-Zo community in the aftermath of Phailengmol incident which claimed lives of two people.

As the indefinite closure of Government offices in Kangpokpi District Headquarters unfolded, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in the heart of Imphal, Manipur's capital, fervently gearing up for the looming Lok Sabha polls.

Led by the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District, various Government offices including the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, Zonal Education Office (ZEO), Town Employment Exchange,  etc. were indefinitely closed.

CoTU leaders also met the District Election Officer, Mahesh Chaudhari, who is also the District Deputy Commissioner and apprised him of the Phailengmol's gruesome killing placing some charter of demands to be taken seriously.

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Moreover, CoTU leaders held crucial discussions with Mahesh Chaudhari, the District Election Officer and District Deputy Commissioner, to address the distressing incident in Phailengmol, presenting a compelling list of demands requiring immediate attention.

The demands entail a judicial investigation into the brutal killing of Phailengmol, as well as the delivery of the two volunteers' bodies by tonight.

According to the Committee, failure to deliver the deceased bodies of the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers by tonight will force the closure of the DC/DEO Kangpokpi tomorrow, April 16, 2024.

Speaking to the media on the sideline of the closure of Government offices, CoTU's Media Cell Coordinator, Ng. Lun Kipgen said that in continuation of the public protest, we are compelled to close all Government offices in the district headquarters today, and we will be liable to close even the DC/DEO office tomorrow if our two Kuki-Zo volunteers' dead bodies are not delivered tonight.

He also fervently appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner of India to take cognisance of the plights of the Kuki-Zo people for the past eleven months.

According to the committee, it will maintain the closure of government offices in every Subdivision of the district until their demands are met without compromise.