Youths Killed in Clash Over Worship in Manipur

By Khelen Thokchom

Imphal, Apr 19 : Two tribal youths were hacked to death and four were wounded in a clash between a batch of devotees of Lord Ibudhou Thangjing and local residents at Golthol in Manipur’s Churachandpur district last night.

Police are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the altercation that led to the clash.

The incident sparked tension between the local residents and the Meiteis residing in Churachandpur and Bishnupur district, bordering Churachandpur. Security has been tightened to prevent further flare-up.

The two youths died on the spot. Their bodies were brought to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here this morning and kept at the RIMS mortuary for identification and post-mortem.

Lancha Haokip, 18, Mamang Haokip, 20, Seimang Kipgen, 52, and his son Khainingthang Kipgen, 18 — the four injured who are from Churachandpur district — have been admitted to RIMS.

Every year, people, particularly the Meiteis, climb the Thangjing Hills to worship Ibudhou Thangjing, a Meitei deity, on the first Saturday after Cheiraoba (New Year of the Hindu Meiteis).

This year, the Cheiraoba festival fell on April 14 and yesterday was the day for worshipping Ibudhou Thangjing.

The tradition is to climb the hill at night in groups and return after worshipping the deity on Sunday morning.

Many devotees had climbed the hill last evening. A preliminary police report said the clash broke out after a group of devotees had an altercation with some local people at Golthol atop the hill around 9.30 last night.

The inspector-general of police range-II, C. Doungel, today rushed to Churachandpur for a spot inquiry and to supervise security measures.

A police team led by the superintendent of police, Churachandpur, Bimolchandra Sharma, was present at the spot to inquire into the incident. “A preliminary report said an altercation between a group of devotees of Thangjing and some locals led to the clash. Two died on the spot and four were wounded. I will be making further inquiries and submit a report to the director-general of police (Yumnam Joykumar Singh),” the IGP said.

The police are yet to question the injured persons.

Doungel has contacted leaders of Kuki Inpi, the apex body of the Kuki community, and the Kuki Students’ Organisation to defuse tension in the district. “We have intensified patrol and security has been beefed up in and around Golthol and surrounding areas which are considered vulnerable, to prevent a backlash,” Doungel said.

He said the situation was fully under control though tension prevailed in Churachandpur district and the neighbouring Bishnupur district.

The superintendent of police, Bishnupur district, K. Jayenta Singh, has also stepped up security.