Kangpokpi observes second day of shutdown over killing of two youths
A tribal organisation extended the protest to demand justice following the discovery of two Kuki civilians' bodies in Senapati.
Normal life in Manipur's Kangpokpi district was disrupted for the second day on Tuesday as markets and businesses remained closed. According to The New Indian Express, the shutdown was called by a tribal organisation to protest alleged government inaction regarding the deaths of two youths.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) initiated the 24-hour shutdown on Sunday and extended it by 48 hours on Monday night. The protest follows the discovery of the mutilated bodies of two Kuki civilians in a hilly area of Senapati on Sunday morning.
The two youths had been missing for several days before their bodies were found. CoTU stated the shutdown was a response to the government's silence and failure to take tangible action to deliver justice for the killings.
The Kuki organisation demanded time-bound action against those responsible and said the Kuki-Zo people would not accept administrative excuses. Police reported that several trucks travelling toward Imphal were unable to pass through Kangpokpi and remained stuck in Senapati.
A senior officer said additional security forces have been deployed in the district to prevent any unwanted incidents. The ethnic conflict in Manipur, which began in May 2023, has resulted in at least 306 deaths and left 49 people missing.