By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL, July 13: Barely a day after the gunning down of Ukhrul ADC former vice chairman Ngalangzar Malue at Finch Corner on July 12, Ukhrul town has been virtually placed under siege with the deployment of hundreds of State security forces even as the district magistrate clamped 144 CrPc in and around the district headquarters since early morning.
Reliable sources said that since late last night a combined team of police commondo and IRB has been deployed to reinforce security presence in the town.
Subsequently, the combined force cordoned off the town areas and raided the WTR office, an administrative unit of NSCN-IM located at Phungreitang in the wee hours today.
During the raid, eight cadres of the outfit were reportedly arrested by the combined force from the administrative camp at around 3 am, sources said.
Reports also informed that the combined force then ransacked the outfit’s office and seized loads of documents and other belongings including arms and ammunition. All the arrested cadres were deported to Imphal today, along with the seized items, added the source.
Later, around 4 pm a stiff confrontation occurred between the public of the town and the State security forces when another security reinforcement team tried to gain entry into the town at Dungrei, Hundung Junction.
Sources said, as the public learned of the news of another reinforcement team approaching, residents of the town especially woman folk came out with torches and blocked the way at two points one at Hundung zero point and other at Dungrei Junction where huge logs were placed and tyres were burned across the breadth of the road.
The situation turned tense as the two sides could not reached a settlement as to the public demand for withdrawal of the security forces as well as revocation of the curfew with immediate effect.
However, there has been no untoward occurence during the heated confrontation.
Meanwhile, a high level meeting towards bringing an amicable settlement was immediately convened at Ukhrul DC chamber represented by district magistrate, police officers on government side and representatives of ANSAM, TNL and TSL on public side.
TNL has even written a representation today to the district magistrate for immediate revocation of the 144 Cr Pc being clamped in the town areas.
However, no positive outcome could be obtained till the time of filing the report late in the evening.
Meanwhile, the number of public, especially torch bearing woman folks guarding the two entry points at Hundung junction has been growing till around 9:30 pm.
Although the district magistrate has verbally assured the public representatives to wothdraw the curfew immediately, the public is pressing for the same assurance in writing till the filing of this report.