IMPHAL, March 24: The sixth anniversary of the March 24, 2008 thabal chongba at Heirok incident was observed today as the “Mangal piba numit” organised by the RPN Memorial Trust Committee, Heirok.
Unidentified persons fired at a thabal chongba on the night of March 24, 2008 killing three individuals including two girls and leaving a girl blind, causing much uproar amongst the public.
The observation was held at the memorial site of the three victims constructed at the Heirok part I Umang Leikon.
People paid floral tributes during the observation.
BJP candidate for the Outer Manipur Constituency Prof Gangmumei Kamei who attended the observation decried that the Okram Ibobi Singh led government has demolished the state Human Rights commission.
Giving the key-note address, committee convenor L Megha said the 2008 incident led to a mass uproar in Heirok demanding the government to arm the locals of the area.
On the other hand, armed militant groups banned the public of Heirok from venturing out of the area. Another youth who was running a pharmacy was also shot death. And in the process, the Heirok public became the worst affected by the conflict between the state and non-state actors, he lamented.
The five including the girl left blind by the incident and the pharmacist shot death taught the people the suffering of armed conflict, he observed.
The incident has spread the message to stop killing, and with every observation of the day, the message has got only clearer, for which the day is being observed as the “Mangal piba numit,” he asserted.
Professor Gangmumei in his speech said “peace is in the hands of the people,” which has been established by the people of Heirok.