Anger and concern gripped Kshetri Bengoon in Imphal East district on Monday as local residents staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for a firing incident that left an 11-year-old girl injured.
The protest came a day after unidentified armed individuals allegedly opened fire in the Kshetri Awang Ching Mamang Leikai area under Porompat Police Station late Sunday night. During the incident, Shahida alias Athoi (11), daughter of Md. Imtiyash and Meichon of Kshetri Bengoon Mamang Ching, sustained a gunshot injury after being struck by a stray bullet.
According to reports, several rounds were fired by unknown armed persons in the area, triggering panic among residents. The injured girl suffered a bullet wound to her buttock and was immediately rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for treatment. She is currently undergoing medical care.
Condemning the incident, local residents, community leaders and members of the Youth Progressive Organisation (YPO) gathered at Kshetri Bengoon Awang Leikai and held a protest demonstration, demanding justice for the child and stringent action against those involved.
Speaking at the protest, the victim’s mother, Meichon, expressed anguish over the attack, stating that her family had no known enmity with anyone and could not comprehend why her daughter had become a victim of gun violence.
“My daughter has done nothing wrong. We are ordinary people trying to earn a livelihood. Those responsible must be identified and punished according to law,” she said.
YPO Advisor Syed Fazlur Rahman strongly condemned the attack, describing the shooting of a child as a grave and unacceptable act. He urged law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that all those involved are brought to justice without delay.
Rahman further stated that the matter would be taken up with the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights, seeking its intervention and appropriate action in the case.
Participants in the protest raised slogans demanding the arrest of the culprits and denouncing the use of firearms in residential areas. Speakers warned that such incidents continue to endanger innocent civilians, particularly children, and called for enhanced security measures to prevent similar occurrences.
Police have registered the case and launched an investigation to ascertain the identity of the perpetrators and the circumstances surrounding the firing. No arrests had been reported at the time of filing this report.
