Senapati District Faces Disruption Due to Naga People's Organisation Shutdown

Impact of the Shutdown in Senapati

Imphal, Sept 28: On Monday, daily activities in Manipur's Senapati district were significantly disrupted due to a 12-hour complete shutdown initiated by the Naga People’s Organisation (NPO), which began at 6 am.

This shutdown was organized to mourn the loss of three Naga civilians who were killed in the Kailengjang shooting and to demand justice for them. As a result, businesses, transportation services, and both government and private offices across the district ceased operations.

During this period, the movement of vehicles, including military convoys, was halted.

Residents reported that markets, shopping areas, and parking lots in Senapati town were empty from early morning.

Located approximately 60 km north of Imphal, Senapati has a population exceeding one lakh.

Local, inter-district, and inter-state transport services were also suspended for the day, as per local accounts.

In a statement, the NPO urged the people of Senapati to “extend their cooperation and support” for the shutdown, reiterating their demand for justice for the three civilians killed in the Kailengjang incident and for the injured survivor.

The organization accused armed Kuki elements of carrying out the attack and called for legal action against those responsible. This allegation has not been independently verified.

The shutdown followed a condolence service held at Traffic Point in Senapati for the three victims, where a large crowd gathered to pay their respects. The remains of the deceased are expected to be taken to their villages for burial.

The three civilians were fatally shot in the Kailengjang incident on Saturday afternoon, which initially resulted in two deaths and two injuries.

The deceased have been identified as K. Rocky Osanah from Chowainamai Khullen and Kh. Kumar from Laii Shirafii, both of whom died at the scene.

The death toll increased to three early Sunday when 49-year-old Ashiho Sani from Shajouba village succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital.

Additionally, the Naga Women Union (NWU) issued a statement on Monday, highlighting a series of recent violent incidents involving Naga civilians and expressing concerns over the deteriorating security situation.

The NWU reported that four civilians were killed in Pilong, Kamjong district, near the India-Myanmar border, on September 24, followed by three more deaths between Kangpokpi and Senapati on September 26.

They linked the latter incident to tripartite talks held in Guwahati on September 26 involving the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Manipur and Central governments, noting that the incident occurred around the time the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister visited Senapati.

The organization criticized governance failures and lack of accountability, stating, “If the government had effectively addressed the perpetrators, the situation might have been controlled.”

They urged both the Central and Manipur governments to establish mechanisms to tackle what they termed as the threat of insurgency to the state, the Northeast, and the nation.

This latest shutdown raises further alarm regarding civilian casualties in Naga-dominated regions of Manipur amidst the ongoing Naga-Kuki conflict.