A police officer and students pay floral tribute in Imphal on Monday to Sunil Kumar Agarwal, who was gunned down by militants. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Aug. 14: The militant Kuki National Front (military council) today owned up to the killing of a student leader at Moreh on Saturday. The border town remained closed for the third consecutive day today in protest against the murder.

The tension in the town mounted after unidentified persons dismantled shops owned by members of a community last night. Security measures were tightened and no untoward incidents were reported today.

Unidentified gunmen had abducted 22-year-old Sunil Agarwal, president of the All Manipur Students Union’s Chandel district committee and son of a Moreh businessman, from his father’s godown near the border gate on Friday morning. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from near the godown the next day.

Owning up to the killing, the KNF (MC) stated in a release issued by its publicity secretary T.M. Haokip that the outfit had awarded “capital punishment” to the student activist because he was working against the interests of the organisation despite their repeated warnings. The outfit did not elaborate.

Dissatisfied with the clarification, the business community of Moreh continued to observe the market bandh in protest. A joint action committee, formed by members of different communities to seek justice, continued its indefinite sit-in near the local police station, demanding punishment for the guilty.

Deputy inspector-general of police C. Doungel is camping in Moreh to supervise security measures. He assured Agarwal’s family members that the culprits would be brought to book, following which they agreed to accept the body and it was sent to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here today for post-mortem. It was also brought to the headquarters of the All Manipur Students Union (Amsu) here, where students paid their last respects. An Amsu leader said the charge levelled against Agarwal was not specific and, therefore, unacceptable. A Moreh resident said over phone that the committee had rejected the outfit’s charge against Agarwal.