Manipur: A fresh clash broke out between the two communities in the Sugnu town of Kakching District which is part of Imphal Valley on Sunday. According to the official, the firing started at midnight.
As per the sources, heavy firing reported in the Phayeng and Senjam Chirang areas of Imphal West as well on Sunday.
The suspected militant group set more than 100 houses on fire. This is the most intense violence the region has seen since May 28. One person injured in the exchange of firearms, as per the official present in the region.
Last week witnessed intense firing and violence in the region with several houses set on fire including the house of Congress MLA, K Ranjit Singh in the Serou region which is also part of the Kakching district.
The regions saw heavy firing incidents and the burning of houses on May 28 as well.
Home Minister’s outreach to Manipur
These fresh clashes broke out just after Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his four-day visit to Manipur on Thursday where he met with the people of both the Meitei and Kuki tribes residing in relief camps since the violence started on May 3.
Shah announced a series of measures after coming black from Manipur including a setting up of a Judicial probe panel, a peace committee led by Governor Anusuya Uikey and inter-agency by unified command for better coordination on the ground.
According to the Home Ministry, a three-member commission is established to investigate the ethnic violence that happen in Manipur. The commission will be headed by Former Chief Justice of Gauhati high court, Justice Ajai Lamba. The member of the committee is bureaucrat, Himanshu Shekhar Das (retired), and former special director of the Intelligence Bureau, Alok Prabhakar. The committee has to submit its final report within six months.
“It will probe the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence; whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities/ individuals; and adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent, and to deal with the violence and riots”, statement issued by Union ministry of home affairs (MHA).
Ethnic violence in Manipur
The violence broke out on May 3 after the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised by the people of the Kuki tribe in the hill districts to protest against the demand for Meitei Community of Schedule Tribe (ST) status. Since then, violence and clashes are happening all across Manipur.
Both communities have suffered intense damage. Around 37,450 people have lost their homes. They are sheltered in 272 relief camps around the state. Many people lost their lives and hundreds still injured.
Meitei constitutes around 53 per cent of the state’s population and lives mostly sound Imphal Valley. The population of the Kuki tribe is around 16 per cent and they are in hill districts.
Home Minister Shah has appealed to the people of Manipur to lift the blockade and let the moment of goods and services happen. “My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur is to lift the blockades at the Imphal-Dimapur, NH-2 Highway, so that food, medicines, petrol/diesel, and other necessary items can reach the people,” he tweeted. “I also request that civil society organisations do the needful in bringing consensus,” said the home minister in his tweet.
At least 98 people lost their lives in this ethnic violence. And around 310 people injured.The centre has deployed 10,000 army professionals and Assam Rifles personnel to maintain peace in the region.