Miscreants fire at Outer Manipur Congress candidate, escapes unhurt

Imphal: The firing of guns by unknown miscreants and retaliated by the security forces marked as a prelude to the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaigns in this strife state which will go to the polls in two phases on April 19 and April 26.

K Meghachandra, president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) said that unknown armed men attacked the Congress candidate Alfred Kanngam Arthur while holding a meeting at TK Woodland Resort in the Ukhrul district of Manipur on Monday afternoon.

Congress is setting up former MLA of the Ukhrul Assembly Constituency Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur as a candidate in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency seat reserved for Scheduled Tribe in the ensuing elections.

Alfred escaped unhurt in the burst of gunfire but his escorts retaliated and the meeting resumed reluctantly.

Condemning the incident, K Meghachandra said that the firing left many people traumatized and asked how the election can be free and fair if people are intimidated.

Urging the state government to enforce law and order without any prejudice and not to brush aside the attack on the Congress candidate, K Meghachandra also appealed to all gun-toting persons not to intimidate and disturb the poll environment to ensure the integrity of free and fair elections.