Five policemen suspended for Manipur firing that killed 29-year-old journalist

Imphal: Five police personnel have been placed under suspension after a 29-year-old journalist was killed in police firing in Manipur, official sources said on Monday. The sources said a three-member enquiry committee headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Suresh Babu has been constituted to probe Sunday's incident and the panel would submit its report to the government for further action within a week.

The police fired Sunday to disperse supporters of a 'general strike' called to demand the arrest of a Naga militant who allegedly molested a film actress on December 18 in public. Thangjam Nanao Singh alias Dwijamanti, a journalist with 'Prime Time' news channel who also contributed pictures to Doordarshan, was shot in the police firing while taking pictures during the strike at Thangmeiband area in Imphal West district.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who met a delegation of All Manipur Working Journalists Union Sunday evening, had given an assurance that all possible action would be taken to book the police personnel involved in the incident. He had also told the delegation that steps would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, sources said.

Nanao Singh was shot in the police firing while taking pictures of the strike in Imphal West district.

Meanwhile, Manipur Film Forum (MFF), which had called the 'indefinite general strike', said the protests have as been suspended from midnight Sunday till December 26 midnight in deference to and wishes of general public particularly Christians in view of the Christmas, a spokesman said. The general strike, which began from December 22, had been called demanding arrest of NSCN-IM militant Livingstone Anal who had allegedly molested film actress Momoko during a musical concert at Chandel area besides manhandling two other artistes who tried to save her by opening fire. The bullets missed the duo.

While the state government said Anal could not be arrested immediately since NSCN-IM was engaged in peace process with the Centre, several social organisations and lawyers said Anal could be arrested since he had committed crime. The ceasefire between the Centre and NSCN-IM has been in force in Nagaland and not in Manipur, official sources said.

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