Manipur CM Meets JAC Delegation, Offers Rs 10 Lakh Aid to Family of Koutruk Victim

IMPHAL: A team of representatives of the JAC formed in connection with the gruesome murder of Ngangbam (O) Surbala Devi, allegedly by Kuki militants at Koutruk, met the Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh at the state's Secretariat on September 8 and urged the government to bring the culprits to justice without any further delay.

Chief Minister Singh conveyed his deep condolences and announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the bereaved family. In a statement, he said though the amount cannot replace the life of a human being, it is the moral duty of the government to stand with the family when they are critical juncture.

I, on behalf of the government, extend my most genuine and heartfelt condolence to Ngangbam (O) Surbala Devi's family. We will extend all possible help for them to come out from this irreparable loss, said Singh while reiterating the state commitment for support to victims of such violent attacks.

As tragic as it might be, the killing once again brought into the fore the growing security concerns in the region. Locals are demanding stringent measures to avoid violence in the future and ensure peace.

Concerns over the worsening situation prompted Chief Minister Biren Singh to lead a delegation comprising several cabinet ministers and MLAs to call on Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Raj Bhawan this morning. The 45-minute meeting focused on the deteriorating security situation in the state, which has assumed alarming proportions and demands immediate, concrete action.

Sources present in the meeting said the Chief Minister had submitted a memorandum, especially on the demand for establishment of Unified Command Authority so that the coordination among the security forces could be more effective to tackle the continuing unrest.

Sources say that Biren Singh is firm to make the security arrangements more stringent in order to root out the basic causative elements of violence. In this perspective, when tensions continued to rise, an articulation for strong leadership became a necessary step toward bringing peace and stability in Manipur.

After discussing the issue with the Governor, Singh and his team returned to the Secretariat for further consultations on the state's strategy regarding security. Now, the government's priority is to ensure justice is meted out and effective steps are taken to prevent further tragedies.

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