'8 persons on NSCN-IM hit list'

IMPHAL: Manipur deputy chief minister Gaikhangam on Tuesday informed the assembly that seven to eight persons are on the hit list of NSCN (IM) cadres.
On Saturday, unidentified men killed Ukhrul Autonomous District Council (ADC) member Ngalangzar Malue (65) and injured his nephew and the driver of the van in which he was travelling in an ambush at Finch Corner in the district.
Responding to a calling attention motion raised by Trinamool Congress MLA I Ibohalbi, the home minister said about 100 persons, including many public leaders, were killed by the outfit since the Eighties.In view of the perpetual threat and frequent attacks on ADC members, the government has been taking extra security measures, said Gaikhangam.
He added that following Saturday's ambush, a team of state security forces carried out a raid in Ukhrul town the next morning. From a building, which NSCN (IM) has been occupying since the last fifteen years, the state force arrested eight cadres of the outfit and rescued six persons who were illegally confined by cadres of the outfit.
The house is currently being guarded by the police team, he said. He added that the situation at Ukhrul town, where prohibitory orders under 144 CrpC has been promulgated, is improving gradually.
Gaikhangam said chief judicial magistrate (Imphal East) remanded the eight cadres in police custody till July 17.
On Sunday, the NSCN (IM) said that it was not behind Malaue's killing and condemned ransacking of its office at Ukhrul town by Manipur police commandos.
The United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 24-hour bandh in Manipur's ' Naga areas' from Tuesday midnight in protest against what it termed as the "military might show" of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh against the Nagas in Ukhrul town.