Manipur: Tear gas used on protesters seeking justice for bomb attack

Security personnel used tear gas to disperse protesters in Manipur demanding justice for a bomb attack that killed two minor siblings. A women's group has called for a statewide shutdown, while the family of the victims rejected ex-gratia payment.

Security personnel used tear gas to disperse protesters in Manipur's Imphal West district after tensions escalated in the Khurai Lamlong area on Saturday during demonstrations seeking justice in connection with the Tronglaobi bomb attack incident.

Protests and Shutdown Call

The protest follows the April 7 attack in the Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area of Moirang, where suspected militants allegedly hurled a bomb at a residence of a Meitei family around 1:00 AM, killing two minor siblings, a 5-year-old boy and his 5-month-old sister, while they were asleep. Their mother was also left injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, Meira Paibi Lup (Women Torch Bearers) has imposed a seven-day total shutdown across Manipur, demanding that the government arrest those responsible for the attack by April 25.

Due to the shutdown call, most roads, markets, shops and business establishments remained closed across several areas of the state. Commercial vehicles largely stayed off the roads, though a few private vehicles were seen operating.

Family Rejects Ex-gratia, Demands Justice

Earlier on April 15, Oinam Babuton, grandfather of the two children killed in an alleged bomb attack, said that the family has rejected the government's ex-gratia and wants "justice" so that no such incident can ever be repeated in the future.

"The government said that they will give us an ex-gratia payment. But we do not want it. We don't approve of it at all... Police teams, NIA teams, and even forensic teams visited for inspection. But there has been no outcome yet," Oinam Babuton told ANI.

He further informed that the children's mother, who was recently discharged from the hospital, has left for her maternal home. Their mother was discharged from the hospital today and brought back home. She said that she didn't feel like staying here, that her heart was not into it. That's why she has gone to her maternal home."

"You cannot compensate for a human life with ex-gratia. Rs 10-20 lakh will not bring back someone... We want justice. We want such incidents to never be repeated in the future..." he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)