Border trade disrupted after girl killed in Moreh

A Class 10 student was killed in Moreh, a Manipur town located on the India-Myanmar border, early on Sunday sparking an indefinite shutdown of the area, police said.

Ningeingat Khongsai, 18, was staying with her uncle. She was killed in her bed at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, H. Chaoba, station house officer of Moreh police station, told IANS.

Chaoba said a suspect, Sasat Haokip, 21, was arrested within a few hours of the sensational killing and was being interrogated to establish the motive.

A country-made 9 mm pistol with three live rounds was recovered from the accused and was believed to be the murder weapon, police said.

When the police tried to take the suspect to Imphal for further investigation, they were prevented from doing so by women activists.

Protesting the killing, the Kuki Students' Organisation has announced a shutdown, disrupting trade at the border town.

All shops and business establishments pulled down shutters and while hundreds of vehicles turned back towards Imphal, many others were stranded in Moreh.

Three months ago, a middle-aged woman, A. Shanti, was gunned down in broad daylight in Moreh, a crime that hasn't been solved yet.

--IANS

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