Police resort to firing during Manipur bandh

Imphal, June 12: Manipur police today resorted to firing at several places in Imphal East as bandh supporters went on a rampage.

The 24-hour bandh was called by a Joint Action Committee, against the killing of 11 people at Moreh in Chandel district on Saturday last, from 1800 hours last evening.

Police fired a few rounds in the air and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the bandh supporters, who had blocked the roads and burnt tyres at several places.

However, no one was hurt in the firing.

Even two days after the spate of violence at Moreh, tension prevailed in the border town with curfew still in place.

The JAC, 'Against The Brutal Killing of Innocent Peoples at Moreh', was constituted after the series of factional clashes in the border town.

Official sources said about 528 people, who fled to Myanmar, have returned yesterday and security had been beefed up in Moreh.

A JAC spokesman today said they have taken up the issue with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who had assured for a Magisterial enquiry into the incident adding that they would also discuss the possibility of removing Assam Rifles (AR) from Moreh.

The AR had been accused of taking side with a particular militant group, involved in the clashes.

Meanwhile, all the inter-state bus services were cancelled and all educated institutes were closed down in purview of today's bandh.The streets wore a deserted look and the government offices had thin attendance.

UNI