IMPHAL/UKHRUL: Hundreds of people from the Keikol to Koirengei area staged a rally on Wednesday, condemning the Sunulok Hill (Khongbal Killings) attack that killed three Meitei civilians and injured others. The protesters demanded justice for the victims and called on chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to take responsibility for the incident and resign.
The rally began in the Keikol area and proceeded to the Koirengei Old Airfield before returning. Protesters raised slogans demanding accountability from the state government and questioned its failure to protect civilians despite the presence of security forces.
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Speaking during the rally, Nameirakpam Nayanni, secretary of the Awang Potsangbam Khunou Khunou Meira Paibi, said the attack took place despite the chief minister’s assurances that people could move freely and safely.
She questioned why civilians continued to face attacks despite the deployment of state and central security forces. She demanded that the government ensure public safety and take responsibility for its failure to prevent the killings.
She also questioned the withdrawal of security forces and urged them to take effective measures to prevent further attacks. Calling for the chief minister’s resignation, she said people could no longer remain silent while civilians continued to lose their lives.
Meanwhile, JAC co-convenor Tonjam Somorjit alleged that the attack at Sunulok Hill was aimed at provoking conflict between Meiteis and Tangkhuls. He said the incident involved gunfire and confusion, with civilians unable to identify the direction from which the firing came, resulting in the deaths of three people.
Somorjit said the JAC had been formed in response to the incident and expressed support for Wednesday’s rally. He appealed to the public to attend a meeting scheduled for 10 am on Thursday to discuss the next course of action.
He said further agitation would be announced after the meeting, urging people to unite against the continuing violence and demand accountability from the government.
Somorjit also criticised the state government for failing to prevent repeated attacks and called for immediate action to protect civilians and ensure justice for the victims of the Sunulok Hill attack.
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