Guwahati, June 21 -- The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Saturday demanded the immediate declaration of a 'Farmer Safety Zone' in the periphery areas of the Imphal Valley following a recent gun attack that left a farmer critically injured in Bishnupur district.

The incident took place on Thursday afternoon when Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a local farmer, was shot at point-blank range while working in his paddy field in Phubala, a valley region in Bishnupur.

Eyewitnesses claimed the shots were fired from the nearby hills, which border the Churachandpur district-an area often marked by ethnic tension and previous incidents of violence.

COCOMI, in a strongly-worded statement, condemned the attack and raised serious qu...