Senapati firing toll climbs to three as injured man dies in hospital
A 49-year-old man injured in a gun attack by suspected militants in Manipur's Senapati district died in hospital on Sunday, taking the toll to three.
The death toll from a gun attack by suspected militants in Manipur's Senapati district rose to three on Sunday after a man injured in the firing succumbed at a private hospital, officials said.
Two Naga civilians were shot dead on Saturday when armed men entered their homes and opened fire while they were asleep. Two others were wounded and taken to a private hospital in the district for treatment.
One of the injured, Ashiho Sani, 49, died at the hospital around 3 a.m. on Sunday. His body was shifted to the Senapati district hospital for post-mortem. The other injured person has been identified as Adani Manio, 33.
Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh condemned the killings, naming the two men who died in the attack as Rocky, from Chaowainamai village, and Kumar, from Laii Shirafii village. In a post on X, he described the killings as a matter of grave concern and said the victims were civilians who deserved to live without fear.
He also questioned the continuing violence, asking how long bodies would keep being counted instead of those responsible being held accountable and the law and order situation being brought under control. Mr. Singh said there had been more than 60 killings this year.
The attack occurred barely an hour before the United Naga Council announced it would suspend its four-month-old economic blockade along national highways in the State.
It was the latest in a series of gun attacks in the State. On the night of September 24, four Tangkhul Naga civilians were shot dead by suspected militants from Myanmar at Pilong village in Kamjong district, near the international border. At least 13 people have been killed in separate gun attacks allegedly carried out by suspected militants in September across Tamenglong, Kangpokpi, Noney and Kamjong districts.