India, June 20 -- Normal life in Manipur's Churachandpur district was brought to a standstill after an indefinite shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a Kuki-Zo body.

The shutdown comes in wake of the death of Hoikholhing, a woman from the Kuki community, who was allegedly killed during a crossfire between security forces and armed militants.

Hoikholhing, said to be the wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi in Churachandpur, succumbed to a bullet injury during an exchange of fire. The incident occurred while security forces were conducting a search operation in response to an earlier shooting incident in which Ningthoujam Biren, a 60-year-old farmer from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in the left ...