IMPHAL, 6 Jul: Unidentified gunmen shot dead a woman outside a school in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Thursday, officials said.
They said that she had gone near the school in Kwakeithel Mayai Koibi under Lamphel police station on some work but was not connected with any school.
The incident occurred a day after Class 1 to 8 began in the state after two months because of the violence.
Following the killing, a tribal organisation demanded imposition of President’s Rule in the state.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) identified the woman as Donngaihching, a mentally ill person who lived on alms provided by locals.
“We again urge the central government to relieve the incapable state government and impose President’s Rule immediately,” the ITLF said in a statement.
More than 100 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on 3 May.
Meanwhile, intermittent gunfire was heard in a village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district early on Thursday, hours after security forces thwarted clashes when men armed with automatic weapons began to attack villagers, sources said.
The incident took place at around 3:40 pm on Wednesday near Phaileng village, they said.
Armed groups from nearby areas gathered in the area, escalating tensions, the sources said.
About 1,000-1,500 women blocked roads to prevent additional forces from reaching the area, they said. However, the situation was brought under control because of the deployment of Assam Rifles personnel in the area.
In Churachandpur, about 100 kms away, a large number of Kukis in a separate development staged a protest on Wednesday. Nearly 4,000 people participated in the rally, most in ‘combat’ dress with camouflage on their faces, sources said.
No untoward incident was reported during the rally, which went on till 7 pm. (PTI)