Imphal: A youth was shot dead and three others including the father of the deceased were injured as poll related violence occurred at Heirok assembly constituency in Thoubal district of poll-bound Manipur in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. It is yet to learn the identities of people who involved in the violence and the political parties they belong.
Poll related violent incidents have been occurring frequently in the constituency well ahead of the elections to the Manipur Legislative Assembly due in the early part of next year, most probably in February and March.
The deceased youth was identified as Ningthoujam Rohit (19) of Heirok Mayai Leikai, who was a college student. His father N Premchandra also sustained bullet injuries on his head. He has been admitted to a hospital in Imphal.
The ghastly poll-related violent incident was reported last night, around midnight when some masked men opened fire indiscriminately toward the house of Premchandra, according to sources. Some masked men who rushed to their house shot at them at point blank, according to family members.
As told by the mother of the deceased, Rohit and his father went out of the house after hearing some people were quarreling nearby their house. All of a sudden, masked men numbering around 10 rushed towards them and they first shot her husband (Premchandra) on the head and then dragged her son into the bathroom and shot him dead there, she also said. The masked men also beat up some of her relatives and neighbors who rushed to the house after hearing the gun shots.
The shooting incident happened shortly after a clash that broke out between two groups of people in the locality when they pelted stones at each other. In the clash, at least two persons were injured who were immediately rushed to Raj Medicity hospital and RIMS hospital in Imphal. The masked men also damaged some vehicles, the sources said.
The injured youths were identified as Kh Rakesh Singh (30) and P Sanamacha Singh (22), both from Heirok part-2.
Registering a strong denouncement of the killing of the student, angry local people blocked roads from early morning today and staged a protest demanding booking of the perpetrators.
NNN