Tension ran high at Moreh, Manipur’s border town, following the killing of two Tamil youths at Myanmar’s Tamu town on Tuesday morning. They had both travelled to Tamu, where they were reportedly stalked by two motorcycle-borne youths and shot dead from a close range..
Police said that the deceased, identified as P. Mohan (28) and M. Pyanar (32), had gone to Tamu on Tuesday morning for as yet unknown reasons.
There may be no special significance to the visit to Tamu by the deceased. Police said that since border trade was legalised in 1995, Indian and Myanmarese nationals visit the border towns for business.
Mohan, an autorickshaw driver who had married barely two weeks ago, was a resident of Moreh Ward No. 2. Pyanar ran a small shop in Moreh Ward No. 4.
On receiving news of the killings, all shops pulled down shutters and life came to a standstill at Moreh. Hotels were also shut down, causing hardship to shoppers, traders and tourists. No vehicles, including private cars, were allowed to leave Moreh for Imphal. Police have ramped up security to maintain law and order in Moreh.
Recently, there have been reports of arson and exchange of fire between Army personnel and youths suspected to be members of the pro-democracy organisations at Namphalong and Tamu on the other side of the international border.
