Manipur: Miscreants Open Fire at Congress candidate in Ukhrul meeting

IMPHAL: In a shocking incident, unidentified miscreants allegedly opened fire, leading to retaliation by the security forces ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Manipur.

The president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), reported that unidentified armed miscreants assaulted Congress candidate Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur during a meeting at a resort in Ukhrul.

Congress is nominating Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur, a former MLA of the Ukhrul Assembly Constituency, as its candidate for the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

Alfred escaped unharmed from the gunfire, and although his escorts retaliated, the meeting resumed with reluctance.

Condemning the incident, MPCC president said that the firing had left many people traumatized. He also questioned how the election could be considered free and fair if such intimidation tactics were employed.

He urged the state government to uphold law and order impartially and to not dismiss the attack on Congress candidate.

Meghachandra further appealed to all individuals carrying firearms to refrain from intimidating or disrupting the election environment, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the integrity of free and fair elections.

Earlier on Sunday night, unidentified miscreants vandalized the office of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur on Sunday night.

Various documents, computers, and furniture were reportedly destroyed during the attack.

As per sources, the attack occurred due to an alleged internal conflict between the Paitei and Zomi communities.

Earlier, two houses there were found to been torched by “unknown attackers” in Kwatha Khunou, one of the last Meitei villages on the eastern side of restive Manipur.

Nestled along the India-Myanmar border, the tiny hamlet, which comes under the jurisdiction of Moreh police in Tengnoupal district, has nearly 15 houses with around 40 people.

In the aftermath of the ethnic violence that broke out on May 3 last year, the villagers, fearing attacks from the surrounding tribal villages, left the area for safety.

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