Condemning the attacks on the intending candidate of the party in the person of Alfred Kanngam Arthur, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has appealed to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manipur and the state government to initiate security protection measures for the candidate.

Reports said, miscreants fired 40-50 rounds of gunshots at the interaction programme held at LM Block of Ukhrul district at around 12.30pm. Ukhrul district police and 35th AR who were on duty at the programme retaliated to the gunshots fired from the northeast side of LM Block.

The interaction programme continued as planned and concluded at 1.30 pm. SDPO and OC Ukhrul escorted Alfred Kanngam till Yaingangpokpi after the interaction programme.

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It may be mentioned that the unknown miscreants had fired gunshots at an interaction programme of Alfred earlier on Monday. The gunshots were fired from the west side at around 2:15 pm when Arthur started to give his speech at another interaction programme at Phangrei, which is 21 kms east from Ukhrul Police station.

Speaking to the media at Congress Bhawan on Tuesday, MPCC president K Meghachandra informed that the attack on the lone intending candidate of the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha Election-2024 continued on Tuesday yet again.

As the intending candidate, Alfred has started meeting the public as a part of his election campaign since the last two/three days. But, unfortunately, he was attacked by unknown miscreants who fired guns on March 18 at around 2 pm while he was conducting a public meeting at TK Woodland Resort, Paorei Shirui Village, Ukhrul, Meghachandra informed.

And again, he was attacked on Tuesday, at Teinem Village, Chingai assembly constituency at around 11 am by unknown miscreants who fired shots at the meeting, the party president said.

Meghachandra said that because of the incidents, the intending candidate has apprehension to his life and as such, he needs to be protected by the law enforcing agencies at the earliest so as to save the democracy. Otherwise, the right of a citizen, particularly our intending candidate would be violated, he said.

Moreover, there will be no free and fair election in the state of Manipur if such a situation is continued, he said.

Meghachandra also called on the concerned authorities to look into the matter at the earliest and issue necessary orders for providing and covering proper security to his movement till the completion of the upcoming election in the interest of justice.

Meghachandra further expressed concerns over free and fair election stating that there will be no free and fair election as the law and order situation in the state is paralysed.