Thaindian News

Imphal, Aug 3 (IANS) Normal life was disrupted in Manipur as a 48-hour shutdown began Monday in protest against the killing of a man in an alleged fake gun battle here last month.
Markets, shops and business establishments remained closed in the northeastern state and traffic was off roads due to the shutdown called by Apunb Lup, a rights group in Manipur.

Transport service between Manipur and neighbouring northeastern states was also affected.

“Attendance in government offices, banks and financial institutions was almost nil,” an official of the state home department said. But no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

“The strike also affected hilly and valley regions of the state,” he said.

Chungkham Sanjit, 27, a militant, was killed July 23 in a shootout with police, officials said. But people and the rights group are alleging that Sanjit was killed in a fake gun battle and passed off as a guerrilla.

Protests erupted after local media Sunday reproduced pictures carried by a New Delhi-based web portal Saturday, depicting some police commandos surrounding and taking Sanjit into a pharmacy in Imphal and later bringing out his body.

Sanjit, a former member of the banned People’s Liberation of Army, had surrendered to the government few years back.

Condemning the killing, the United Committee of Manipur (UCM) and several other organisations have demanded resignation of Chief Minister Ibobi Singh.