NEW DELHI, 29 September — Two of the seven northeastern states witnessed widespread protest strikes yesterday, one by tribal separatists who enforced a violent road blockade in which at least three people were killed .
Life in Manipur was brought to a standstill following a 24-hour strike called by United Committee of Manipur (UCM) to protest the government’s failure to provide adequate security along highways in the area. Markets, shops and business establishments remained closed across the state while transport services were cancelled.
The Imphal-Dimapur National Highway 39 and Imphal-Jiribam National Highway 53 have witnessed a spate of lootings, extortion and crimes by armed militants. UCM Secretary-General in-charge Oinam Ratan said frequent looting, extortion and crimes on the highways had brought “extreme sufferings” to people. He questioned the federal government’s failure to protect the highways. He said, earlier this month, some women bus passengers were molested by armed militants on the highways.
In troubled Tripura, at least three people were killed and 35 others wounded yesterday when police opened fire on two protests by tribal separatists.
A police spokesman said hundreds of picketers, trying to enforce a 48-hour road blockade that began yesterday, tried to attack security forces with stones and crude weapons in the village of Satchand, 90 km south of Tripura capital Agartala.
The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), a tribal political party, called the blockade to protest the government’s decision to book its leader Bijoy Hrangkhawl on charges of fomenting an “anti-India campaign.”
“The mob tried to overpower the security personnel and attempted snatching weapons, forcing the police to open fire,” said Kishore Debbarma, police superintendent of operations in Tripura.
“Three persons were killed in the firing and 26 sustained bullet injuries. Several security personnel were injured in the clash,” he said.
In another incident, nine protesters were injured in Jirania, 40 km west of the capital city, when police opened fire to disperse picketers from enforcing the blockade.
Hrangkhawl is facing criminal charges over a recent speech to a UN-sponsored committee on indigenous people in Geneva where he stressed the right to self-determination for the tribal people in Tripura. “Hrangkhawl’s speech was tantamount to fomenting secessionist tendencies and hence the criminal proceedings against him,” a Tripura government spokesman said.
At least 200 people have died in rebel attacks this year alone in Tripura, where tribal outfits have been accused of kidnapping and extorting money from residents of rural areas.
