Churachandpur: All shops remained closed, markets were deserted and schools and other learning institutions shut during an 11-hour shutdown enforced by the Kuki Women Union (KWU) in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district from 5am to 4pm on Friday, bringing normal life and activities to a standstill.The shutdown was called to protest the arrest of Otkhothang Baite @ Othang Baite, a resident of Moreh, who was arrested on Thursday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on suspicion of involvement in the 2023 killing of Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Chingtham Ananda Kumar Singh.During the shutdown, sit-in protests were held at Tengnoupal market and Moreh market. Supporters of the bandh moved around to ensure no violations occurred, leaders of the Kuki Women Union (KWU), Tengnoupal, said.In a separate statement, the NIA said it had on Thursday arrested a “prime accused” in the Oct 2023 killing of Moreh subdivisional police officer Chingtham Anandakumar Singh.The agency identified the accused as Otkhothang Baite alias Othang Baite, a resident of Moreh in Tengnoupal district, and described him as “involved in the conspiracy behind the attack by members of a suspected Kuki militant group on a district police team in a playground,”.The NIA said militants opened fire on the district police team on Oct 31, 2023, “during the peak of ethnic violence,” and that SDPO Chingtham Anandakumar Singh was “hit by a bullet in his stomach in the attack and succumbed to his injuries.”The agency said Moreh police had registered a case that was taken over by the NIA in March 2024, adding that during the investigation it found the conspiracy was aimed at “creating terror in Manipur.”The NIA said it had earlier this month arrested another accused, identified as Kamginthang Gangte, in the same case.
