VISEMA (NAGALAND)/IMPHAL, May 6 � NSCN(IM) leader T Muivah today put off his visit to his ancestral village in Manipur even as three among a crowd waiting to welcome him across the border were killed in a stampede when police fired teargas shells to disperse them.
Official reports reaching Imphal said the Manipur police fired teargas shells when the crowd waiting at Mao on the inter-state border in Senapati turned restive and burnt a vehicle of the India Reserve Battalion.
The police action led to the stampede in which three persons, including two women, were killed and some others injured, the reports said, adding the injured were taken to Senapati.
Muivah, who arrived at Visema village from the NSCN(IM) headquarters near Dimapur yesterday, said he responded to the request made by four NGOs to postpone his visit to his ancestral village of Somdal in Manipur�s Ukhrul district as they wanted a few days to facilitate proper arrangements.
Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh who flew to Delhi early morning to brief Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram on the situation in the state returned here this afternoon.
Muivah�s visit has been opposed by the Manipur government on the ground that it would disturb communal amity in the state. Muivah has defied the government�s direction and said he would visit his ancestral village.
The NSCN(IM) has been demanding a �greater Nagaland� proposed to be formed by merging Naga populated areas of adjoining states, which has been rejected by the Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments. � PTI
