Three people died today as police opened fire on those protesting against the imposition of CrPC 144 in Ukhrul district of Manipur.
Earlier this month, at least three persons were severely injured when police tried to disperse a gathering of Naga students outside the Manipur Bhawan in Delhi.
Around 500 Naga students residing in the capital had gathered to take out a protest demonstration against the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC in Manipur's Ukhrul district, organized by the Tangkhul Katamnao Long, Delhi (TKLD) under the banner 'Committee against imposition of CrPc 144 in Ukhrul'.
On July 12, the former Vice Chairman of Ukhrul autonomous district council Ngalangzar Malue was killed by unidentified miscreants at Finch corner.
While eight cadres of NSCN (IM) were arrested following the killing, no outfit has come forward yet to claim the attack. The state government, in response imposed the Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code of India (CrPC) in and around Ukhrul District head quarters. Police commandos and Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) personnel have also been deployed in the area.
The State Government's decision to impose Section 144 has received much criticism from various civil society organizations and the general public of the state as well as the Nagas residing outside the state.
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There have been widespread protests in Manipur demanding that the state government immediately lift the 144 CrPC from Ukhrul and withdraw the heavy security deployment.
The United Naga Council had also called for a bandh in the Naga areas last month to protest against the action of the Manipur government, claiming that the decision to impose section 144 is a violation of the ground rules of the cease fire agreement between the Nagas and the State Government.
People claim that the imposition of the section is a threat to their democratic rights and affects their freedom of movement, thereby disrupting normal life of the public. The Government meanwhile has been maintaining that the decision to impose CrPC 144 was in view of the law and order situation.