<p>Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in this curfew-bound capital of Manipur, with the state rocked by a wave of violent protests over an alleged fake encounter in which a surrendered militant was killed, officials said on Wednesday.<br /><br />An indefinite curfew was clamped down on Imphal on Tuesday after protests against the alleged fake encounter death of a 27-year-old former rebel turned violent.<br /><br />“Curfew was imposed following several incidents of protesters trying to block roads, burn effigies of the chief minister, besides burning tyres on the streets,” a senior police official said. <br /><br />Police burst teargas shells and baton-charged the protesters, besides firing in the air to disperse angry mobs. “The situation is under control, although tension still prevails.<br /><br /> Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against anyone found violating the curfew orders,” the police official said.<br /><br />“We shall review the situation and see if we can relax curfew for a few hours to enable people to buy essentials,” he added.<br /><br />The immediate provocation for the string of protests was the publication of a set of photographs that punctured the security forces’ claim that they had killed a youth following a gunfight. The photographs clearly revealed that the youth, Chongkham Sanjit (27), was taken inside a pharmacy by security forces in capital Imphal unchallenged and then his body was brought out.<br /><br />Judicial inquiry ordered<br />Following the protests, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Wednesday ordered a judicial probe into the incident and suspended six policemen in connection with it.<br /><br />Addressing a press conference, Singh said further action would depend on the report of the judicial inquiry.He said the state government would request the Guwahati High Court to spare a sitting judge to conduct the inquiry but did not say when the judicial commission would submit its report.<br /><br />The chief minister said Sanjit was a former activist of the militant group People’s Liberation Army (PLA).<br /><br />He said his earlier remarks about Sanjit being an active PLA member was based on reports given to him by the Director General of Police and other senior police officials.</p>
<p>Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in this curfew-bound capital of Manipur, with the state rocked by a wave of violent protests over an alleged fake encounter in which a surrendered militant was killed, officials said on Wednesday.<br /><br />An indefinite curfew was clamped down on Imphal on Tuesday after protests against the alleged fake encounter death of a 27-year-old former rebel turned violent.<br /><br />“Curfew was imposed following several incidents of protesters trying to block roads, burn effigies of the chief minister, besides burning tyres on the streets,” a senior police official said. <br /><br />Police burst teargas shells and baton-charged the protesters, besides firing in the air to disperse angry mobs. “The situation is under control, although tension still prevails.<br /><br /> Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against anyone found violating the curfew orders,” the police official said.<br /><br />“We shall review the situation and see if we can relax curfew for a few hours to enable people to buy essentials,” he added.<br /><br />The immediate provocation for the string of protests was the publication of a set of photographs that punctured the security forces’ claim that they had killed a youth following a gunfight. The photographs clearly revealed that the youth, Chongkham Sanjit (27), was taken inside a pharmacy by security forces in capital Imphal unchallenged and then his body was brought out.<br /><br />Judicial inquiry ordered<br />Following the protests, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Wednesday ordered a judicial probe into the incident and suspended six policemen in connection with it.<br /><br />Addressing a press conference, Singh said further action would depend on the report of the judicial inquiry.He said the state government would request the Guwahati High Court to spare a sitting judge to conduct the inquiry but did not say when the judicial commission would submit its report.<br /><br />The chief minister said Sanjit was a former activist of the militant group People’s Liberation Army (PLA).<br /><br />He said his earlier remarks about Sanjit being an active PLA member was based on reports given to him by the Director General of Police and other senior police officials.</p>
