- विज्ञापन -
Guwahati: In Assam’s Cachar district, numerous Meitei groups came together for a protest on Sunday, expressing outrage over the abduction and brutal murder of six Meitei women and children in Jiribam district, Manipur.
The demonstration started with a candlelight march in memory of the victims, followed by chants calling for justice. Protesters issued a clear ultimatum: they will not collect the victims’ bodies from Silchar Medical College Hospital unless the authorities swiftly apprehend the perpetrators. One protester declared, “We demand the quick arrest of those responsible and justice for our victims. We will not take the bodies back if this is not done.”
In a bid to prevent further violence, they also urged the Assam government to deploy additional security forces to Lakhipur and other sensitive areas. The protestor stated, “We want all neighborhoods to be safe and peaceful, and the police must ensure harmonious relations among everyone.”
Tensions escalated over the weekend when mobs attacked the homes of at least three ministers and six MLAs, primarily from the ruling BJP, following the discovery of the bodies of six missing women and children in Jiribam. Authorities reported that demonstrators targeted the residences of ministers Sapam Ranjan Singh, Leishangthem Susindro Meitei, and Yumnam Khemchand Singh, along with the homes of other legislators, including Rajkumar Imo Singh, the son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Protesters also gathered outside several politicians’ homes in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, resulting in a vehicle being set ablaze outside an MLA’s residence. Security forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse crowds in various locations in Imphal and its surroundings.
The unrest was triggered by the revelation of the bodies of six women and children who had been missing since November 11 in Jiribam. These remains, discovered near the confluence of the Jiri and Barak rivers on Friday and Saturday, were taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations, and have yet to be identified by their families.
