Extortion by insurgents in Manipur-

Imphal: The people of Imphal, the capital of Manipur, often have to stage protests against rising incidents of extortion by insurgents in the region. Those who refuse to accede to the extortion demands are attacked by grenades or are fired upon. Recently, insurgents threw a grenade at the Pari Imom Sindam Sang School, located at Langjing, forcing the school to close for a day. Parents, teachers, students and non-teaching staff participated in a protest rally against the insurgents' attacks on those resisting extortion. Interacting with media, Dhanamanjuri Devi, the principal of the Pari Imom school, said such incidents are not acceptable. “We are serving the students. We are ready to face anything for their future. It was such a cowardly act and was very shocking. All of us should unite and fight against it,” Devi said. The students, predictably shocked, were still trying to come to terms with the shocking attack. “A bomb was thrown at our school gate. It could have killed many. We do not know why they have done this but we want to know who has done it? We don’t want such incidents to be repeated,” Ibetombi Chanu, a student, said. Another incident of violence has traumatised the family of Dr. Salam Nongthon. Suspected cadres of Kangleipak Communist Party military task force faction fired two bullets at the doctor’s car recently. The outfit had demanded Rs 20 lakh from the doctor, who did not pay up. “A few days ago, the insurgent outfit sent us a letter for Rs 20 lakh, but how can we pay such huge amounts. We tried to communicate our inability to pay such a huge amount but were unable to do so. We were scared", Urmila, wife of Dr. Nongthon, said. Shocked and worried, they came out on the streets in protest. “Some militants fired bullets at Dr. Nongthon. We strongly condemn it and want them not to repeat it,” Subadini Devi, a protestor, said. The people in Manipur want all militant outfits to give up violence and sort out differences through dialogue.