Manipur fresh violence: Six killed in 24 hours, bloodiest day in a fortnight

Manipur fresh violence: In a tragic escalation of violence, six people, including a father-son duo, lost their lives in Manipur within a span of 24 hours. The strife-torn region witnessed day-long mortar and grenade attacks, resulting in around 16 people being injured along the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border areas on Saturday. The situation marked one of the deadliest days in the region in the past fortnight, as both sides engaged in heavy exchange of fire.

The Army responded to the situation by launching a major combing operation in the affected areas, leading to the arrest of at least one insurgent who sustained bullet injuries during the confrontation.

Given the deteriorating law and order situation, authorities decided not to relax the curfew in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts on the day.

The violence commenced with a pre-dawn attack on a village in Kwakta area of Bishnupur district, where three unarmed villagers, including a father and his son, were killed. These victims were originally residing in relief camps but had returned to their village on Friday to safeguard it after the inhabitants fled to camps when the violence initially erupted on May 3. Security forces disclosed that two of the victims had also suffered injuries from sharp weapons before being fatally shot at close range.

In retaliation, armed individuals initiated attacks on Kwakta's neighboring villages, Phoujang, and Songdo, located in the Churachandpur district. These assaults involved gunfire, mortar shells, and grenades, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to several others.

Simultaneously, in Terakhongsangbi, located in Bishnupur district, another person lost their life, and three others, including a police commando, sustained gunshot injuries.

Apart from these incidents, there were reports of shooting by unidentified individuals in Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages in the Imphal East district. Fortunately, no casualties were reported from these incidents.

Furthermore, unidentified mobs targeted and burnt down houses in Langgol, located in the Imphal West district.

In response to the killings, massive protests erupted in Imphal, voicing the community's outrage and demands for peace and justice.

BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is also the son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, criticized the central security forces for what he perceived as significant security lapses in the Bishnupur district attack that led to the loss of three lives. He called for action against the paramilitary personnel involved, accusing them of negligence in performing their duties.

The Manipur Police, on the other hand, conducted search operations in vulnerable and fringe areas of the strife-torn state, destroying seven illegal bunkers following the fresh outbreak of violence across various districts.

The underlying cause of the conflict lies in ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities, primarily due to the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. The violence has already claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands, exacerbating the delicate situation in the region.

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