Violence continues in Manipur even after 12 days: Villagers present in the camps said – give weapons, we will deal with ourselves; Meitei said – implement NRC

The death toll in the violence between the Kuki-Naga and Meitei communities in Manipur that began on May 3 has risen to 71. The picture is of 3 May.

Violence in Manipur has not stopped even after almost two weeks. The violence began when the Kuki community took out a rally demanding ST status for the Meitei community. Meanwhile, suspected militants set ablaze 10 houses and two trucks at different places.

Sources told Bhaskar that the houses that were set on fire belonged to Torbung village in violence-hit Churachandpur district. The village was the epicenter of the recent violence in which several people died. The latest violence is taking place at a time when a large number of para-military forces are deployed in the state.

According to sources, 1280 more soldiers of Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed. Residents of Torbung village, who live in the camps, say suspected militants torched their houses despite the presence of central forces. The villagers said they are demanding the government to give them weapons as the security forces have failed to protect them and their properties.

In such a situation, instead of depending on the security forces, they will deal with the attackers themselves. They have also demanded withdrawal of central security forces from the area. Meanwhile, Christian missionaries where uniting. On the other hand, the Meitei community wants the process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be started in Manipur on the lines of Assam to identify and expel illegal infiltrators in the state.

Fleeing from Manipur, 6000 Kuki-Chin-Mizo have taken shelter in six districts of Mizoram
About 6000 people of Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribal community have reached Mizoram from different areas of Manipur. For them, camps have been set up in 6 districts of the state. Of these, 2021 people have taken shelter in Aizawl district, 1,847 in Kolasib and 1,790 in Saitual.

An official from Mizoram told that 5822 people are living in relief camps. Some people are staying with their acquaintances in the state. Meanwhile, Mizoram MP C Lalrosanga has supported Manipur’s Kuki tribal legislators’ demand for a separate administration for the tribal people. Police recovered an unidentified body in Vishnupur district on Saturday. With this, the death toll in the violence has gone up to 73.

Airlifted 96 people near Myanmar border
Assam Rifles airlifted 96 people stranded near Indo-Myanmar border in Chandel district. All the people were kept in the Assam Rifles camp since the time of violence on 3rd May. Due to the remoteness of the area, it took time to remove them.

10 districts are victims of violence, surveillance is being done by drone
10 out of 16 districts of Manipur are affected by violence. Drone surveillance of India-Myanmar border has been intensified. The help of sniffer dogs is being taken in hilly areas.

CM Biren rejected demand for separate administration after meeting Shah
CM N Biren Singh returned to Imphal after briefing the Union Home Minister in New Delhi about the situation in the state. He has turned down the demand of 10 MLAs for a separate administration from Manipur. The CM said that measures are being taken to ensure that the militants, who had signed a peace deal, return to their designated places. Under the suspension of operations under Shah’s supervision, measures are being taken to bring back the insurgent groups and restore normalcy.