A 48-hour general strike began across Manipur from 5 am today, called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Brutal Killing of Laishram Rakesh of Khangabok, demanding the arrest of those responsible for his killing.
The strike follows the fatal shooting of Laishram Rakesh at CYSA Playground, located between Khangabok and Sangaiyumpham under Thoubal Police Station, on the night of October 18 while he was reportedly engaged in singing activities.
In the early hours of today, a large number of residents from Khangabok took to the National Highway, blocking roads at Arong Thong, Khangabok and Wangbal in Thoubal district. Protesters also blocked roads at Yairipok in support of the strike, disrupting vehicular movement in several areas.
Third accused arrested in Rakesh killing case
Thoubal District Police have arrested a third accused in connection with the mob violence in the Khangabok-Sangaiyumpham area on October 18 that led to the death of Laishram Rakesh.
The accused, Aribam Sherkhan, son of late Aribam Kayamuddin of Mairenkhun, Sangaiyumpham Part-I, has been remanded to 10 days of police custody for further investigation, police said.
Meanwhile, police conducted a search operation in the Khangabok-Sangaiyumpham area on Friday and seized a double-barrel breech-loading (DBBL) gun along with 14 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition. The firearm will be sent for forensic examination.
Two other accused, Md. Khursid Ahamad (19) and Md. Abdul Rahaman alias Apik (45), were arrested on Tuesday by a combined team of Thoubal CDO and security forces during a search operation.
Major markets, including Thoubal Bazar, Wangjing Bazar, Khangabok Bazar and Yairipok Bazar, remained closed following the shutdown. Commercial activities were severely affected, with normal transport services coming to a halt. Apart from a few vehicles engaged in essential services, passenger vehicles, including autorickshaws and Magic vans, remained off the roads.
The JAC said the strike was called after the killing remained unresolved despite repeated demands for the immediate arrest of those involved. It expressed dissatisfaction over the failure to apprehend the perpetrators and alleged that no meaningful response had come from the authorities despite daily sit-in protests and appeals for justice.
The committee also expressed disappointment over the lack of support from the Sangaiyumpham side and the absence of any concrete response to its demands. It maintained that the general strike was intended to intensify pressure on the authorities to ensure the arrest of those responsible for Rakesh’s killing.