The Manipur government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the January 1 shooting as the death toll rose to five.
Four people were killed on the spot when armed extremists opened fire in Lilong Chingjao, a Meitei Pangal or Meitei Muslim-dominated area in the State’s Thoubal district. One Mohammed Abdur Rajaq, who was grievously injured in the incident, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on Wednesday evening.
More than a dozen people were injured in the shooting. The outlawed Revolutionary People’s Front later claimed responsibility while claiming its members were attacked while trying to round up some drug traffickers who had ignored warnings to stop trading in narcotic substances.
An official order said sub-divisional police officer, Mohammed Riyajuddin Shah, would head the six-member SIT. Another officer of the same rank, N. Suresh Singh, inspector Masood and sub-inspectors Mohammed Anwar Hussain, S. Bhubon Singh, and N. Thomas Singh make up the rest of the team.
Earlier, a crisis was averted after a Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Meitei Pangals agreed to claim the bodies of the victims for last rites. This followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the government in the presence of Chief Minister Nongthombab Biren Singh.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the Chief Minister said he meet the leaders of the Pangal civil society organisations in the presence of Rajya Sabha member Sanajaoba Leisemba, Minister K. Govindas, and Lilong MLA Abdul Nasir. Expressing his deep sorrow over the firing incident, he said the government agreed to all the demands put forth by the JAC. “We have come to an understanding where the religious leaders and CSOs of Meitei Pangal community have agreed to take the remains of the victims for their last rites,” he wrote.
The JAC had demanded the formation of a village protection force in each Meitei Pangal-inhabited area, ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh each and a suitable government job to the next of kin of each of the victims.
Manipur has been on the boil since the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo people broke out on May 3, 2023. It left some 200 people dead and 60,000 others displaced.
