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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
COCOMI demands 'farmer safety zone' in Imphal Valley periphery areas
Meitei body COCOMI on Saturday (June 21, 2025) demanded a 'farmer safety zone' in the periphery areas of Imphal Valley, two days after a farmer was injured in a gun attack in Bishnupur district. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also demanded shoot-at-sight orders in the periphery areas of the valley to deal with any unauthorised armed intruder, especially those carrying assault rifles or deadly firearms. Also read | Manipur districts tense after day of violence Strongly condemning the gun attack, COCOMI, in a statement, said, "Ningthoujam Biren Singh was shot from point-blank range barely 30 meters away from the SSB security line. This act of terror occurred after an outrageous breach through three tiers of security — BSF, Army, and SSB — raising serious concerns about the intent, efficiency, and reliability of the current security deployment in the valley." "A COCOMI team held a meeting with the Bishnupur superintendent of police, followed by a strategic security dialogue at police headquarters with senior officers including ADGP L Kailun and IGP K Kabib," it said. COCOMI stands in full solidarity with local farmer groups and the victim's family and demands a declaration of a 'farmer safety zone' with shoot-at-sight orders, it said. "The entire agrarian belt along the foothills and canal zones must be officially designated as a 'farmer safety zone' and must be declared a 'no arms zone', and any unauthorised armed intruder, especially those carrying assault rifles or deadly weapons, must face immediate shoot-at-sight orders," COCOMI said. COCOMI also called for guarantee to "uninterrupted cultivation access" and to allow farmers to cultivate paddy fields of the Meiteis up to the foothill areas without fear or obstruction. It also demanded the deployment of two to three additional companies of security forces for regular mobile patrolling while maintaining all existing static posts to ensure round-the-clock surveillance of sensitive farming zones. The farmer was shot at on Thursday afternoon while he was working in the fields in Phubala in the valley district of Bishnupur after armed men allegedly opened fire from the surrounding hills, officials said. Farmers, who were working with him, claimed that the shots were fired from the nearby hills, they said. Located on the periphery of the Imphal Valley, the vast farmlands of Phubala are surrounded by the hills in the Churachandpur district on one side. Protesting the incident, locals called a shutdown in Phubala. The movement of security forces was blocked in some areas of the district, they said. Over 260 people have been killed after ethnic clashes broke out between the Meiteis, who live in the valley, and Kukis, who dominate the surrounding hills, in May 2023.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Manipur: COCOMI demands 'farmer safety zone' in Imphal Valley periphery areas
Imphal, Meitei body COCOMI on Saturday demanded a 'farmer safety zone' in the periphery areas of Imphal Valley, two days after a farmer was injured in a gun attack in Bishnupur district. Manipur: COCOMI demands 'farmer safety zone' in Imphal Valley periphery areas The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity also demanded shoot-at-sight orders in the periphery areas of the valley to deal with any unauthorised armed intruder, especially those carrying assault rifles or deadly firearms. Strongly condemning the gun attack, COCOMI, in a statement, said, "Ningthoujam Biren Singh was shot from point-blank range barely 30 meters away from the SSB security line. This act of terror occurred after an outrageous breach through three tiers of security BSF, Army, and SSB raising serious concerns about the intent, efficiency, and reliability of the current security deployment in the valley." "A COCOMI team held a meeting with the Bishnupur superintendent of police, followed by a strategic security dialogue at police headquarters with senior officers including ADGP L Kailun and IGP K Kabib," it said. COCOMI stands in full solidarity with local farmer groups and the victim's family and demands a declaration of a 'farmer safety zone' with shoot-at-sight orders, it said. "The entire agrarian belt along the foothills and canal zones must be officially designated as a 'farmer safety zone' and must be declared a 'no arms zone', and any unauthorised armed intruder, especially those carrying assault rifles or deadly weapons, must face immediate shoot-at-sight orders," COCOMI said. COCOMI also called for guarantee to "uninterrupted cultivation access" and to allow farmers to cultivate paddy fields of the Meiteis up to the foothill areas without fear or obstruction. It also demanded the deployment of two to three additional companies of security forces for regular mobile patrolling while maintaining all existing static posts to ensure round-the-clock surveillance of sensitive farming zones. The farmer was shot at on Thursday afternoon while he was working in the fields in Phubala in the valley district of Bishnupur after armed men allegedly opened fire from the surrounding hills, officials said. Farmers, who were working with him, claimed that the shots were fired from the nearby hills, they said. Located on the periphery of the Imphal Valley, the vast farmlands of Phubala are surrounded by the hills in the Churachandpur district on one side. Protesting the incident, locals called a shutdown in Phubala. The movement of security forces was blocked in some areas of the district, they said. Over 260 people have been killed after ethnic clashes broke out between the Meiteis, who live in the valley, and Kukis, who dominate the surrounding hills, in May 2023. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NDTV
20 hours ago
- NDTV
Will Provide Security To Farmers In Vulnerable Areas: Manipur Government
Imphal: A day after a farmer was shot at in Manipur's Bishnupur district, the state government on Friday announced to provide security to the farmers in the vulnerable areas, officials said. A senior police official said that adequate security would be provided to ensure the safety of farmers in the fields and prevent incidents involving the farmers. A woman was killed and a farmer shot at in separate incidents in Manipur's Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, respectively, on Thursday. The official said Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a farmer from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in his left arm by an unknown armed miscreant while working in his paddy field at Phubala Maning in Bishnupur district. Mr Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community, was initially taken to the district hospital in Bishnupur for medical treatment and was later referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Imphal. His condition is reported to be stable at present. In response, security forces launched a search operation in and around Langchingmanbi, Heichanglok, and the western areas of Phubala village. During the operation, security forces came under fire from unknown armed attackers and the forces retaliated accordingly. During the crossfire, a woman identified as Hoikholhing Haokip from Langchingmanbi village was found dead with a bullet injury. She was from the Kuki tribes and was the wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi. A Manipur Police statement said cases have been filed in connection with the incidents, and an investigation is going on. Combined teams of security forces are continuing search operations to catch the perpetrators, the police said. The statement said every effort is being made to bring those responsible to justice at the earliest. Additionally, security arrangements related to farming activities in the area will be reviewed. The people are requested to maintain peace and not circulate unverified information, the police said. On June 15, tension erupted in Manipur's Imphal East district over a dispute related to the farming of a paddy field and land ownership. It was defused with the deployment of additional security forces in the area. A police officer had said that a farmer belonging to the Meitei community from Leitanpokpi area went with a tractor to plough a paddy field in Sadu Lampak village in Imphal East, near a Kuki-inhabited village. "Some Kuki villagers nearby came and objected, claiming that the paddy field does not belong to the Meitei farmer. In the meantime, some people of the Meitei community, who were nearby, also came to the spot. Videos were circulated saying Kukis have come down to stop Meitei farmers," the officer had said. An officer of the agriculture department said that as the agricultural season nears its peak, unresolved land access disputes and the lack of effective protection for farmers continue to deepen ethnic divide and fuel unrest in conflict-affected areas of Manipur. The current kharif (monsoon) season runs from June to October. Due to the ethnic violence in Manipur, farming activities have been affected in both Imphal valley and hilly areas during the past more than two years. In another development, the security forces arrested eight insurgents including a woman belonging to banned outfits in Manipur during the past 24 hours from Imphal West, Tengnoupal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts. Of the eight, two were members of the banned Peoples' Liberation Army.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
Manipur pledges farmer security after shooting, woman's death
Guwahati: A day after a farmer was shot and a woman was killed in crossfire in Manipur's Bishnupur district, the state government on Friday announced it would provide security to farmers in vulnerable areas. A senior police official confirmed that adequate security would be provided to ensure the safety of farmers in their fields and prevent further incidents. These measures follow separate incidents on Thursday: a woman was killed in Churachandpur district and a farmer was shot in Bishnupur district. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Prefab Houses for Seniors at the Lowest Prices in Years Prefab Houses | Search Ads Click Here Undo The official stated that Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a Meitei cultivator from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in his left arm by an unknown armed miscreant while working in his paddy field at Phubala Maning in Bishnupur district. Singh was initially taken to the District Hospital in Bishnupur and later referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) medical college and hospital in Imphal. His condition is currently stable. In response, security forces launched a search operation in and around Langchingmanbi, Heichanglok, and the western areas of Phubala village. Live Events During this operation, security forces came under fire from unknown armed attackers and retaliated. Tragically, during the crossfire, Hoikholhing Haokip, a Kuki tribal woman from Langchingmanbi village and the wife of its chief, was found dead with a bullet injury.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur districts tense after day of violence
GUWAHATI Two districts of Manipur remained tense on Friday (June 20, 2025), a day after unknown gunmen injured a Meitei farmer and a Kuki woman was shot dead later. A shutdown was observed across the Churachandpur district, dominated by the Kuki-Zo people, to protest the woman's killing. She was identified as Hoikholhing Haokip, the wife of the chief of Langchingmanbi village adjoining the Bishnupur district, where the Meitei farmer was attacked. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum had called the shutdown, demanding 'immediate action against those responsible for this atrocity, concrete steps from the Centre to ensure the protection of tribal lives and territory, and an independent investigation into the repeated buffer zone violations.' The people of Bishnupur, one of the five districts comprising the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley, continued to block a highway leading to the Churachandpur district. They demanded the arrest of the assailants of farmer Ningthoujam Biren Singh, who was shot in his left arm on Thursday. Earlier, the Manipur Police said the security forces came under fire from unknown armed miscreants after the farmer was shot in Bishnupur's Phubala area. '...the forces retaliated accordingly. During the crossfire, one woman from Langchingmanbi village was found dead with a bullet injury,' it said. Manipur, scarred by the ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zos and Meiteis, was relatively calm after the imposition of the President's Rule on February 13 this year. More than 250 people had died and some 60,000 were displaced in the clashes that had erupted on May 3, 2023. Also read | Manipur marks two years of ethnic violence by remembering victims Meanwhile, the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) condemned the Phubala incident, saying it suspected a conspiracy between the attackers and the security forces. It said the incident happened near a bunker of the Sashastra Seema Bal, whose personnel were inactive. The organisation underlined the importance of holding accountable the security personnel found complicit or negligent, apart from the attackers. 'The people of Manipur express deep dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Home Affairs' performance, as the region continues to grapple with ongoing conflicts and violence despite the government's claims of working towards restoring normalcy,' the AMUCO said. The organisation also questioned the work done by security adviser Kuldiep Singh, who was sent by the Centre to resolve the ongoing crisis plaguing the State.
