More than 100 people were killed in ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic groups in Manipur state a month ago
UPDATE – Sat 6/17/23 11:33am
Imphal: Unidentified thugs set fire to two houses belonging to a particular community in revenge for the killing of nine civilians by Kuki militants in Manipur on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (PTI Photo)
Imphal/Kolkata: Mobs clashed with security forces in the town of Imphal, wounding two civilians and trying to burn down the house of the BJP leader, officials said Saturday.
In separate incidents, automatic gunfire was reported throughout the night in Kwakta in Bishnupur district and Kangvai in Churachandpur district in Manipur.
There was also an attempted looting of weapons from the Iringbam Police Station in Imphal West. However, no weapons were stolen.
The Army, Assam Rifles and Manipur Rapid Action Force held a joint march in the state capital until midnight to stop mobs from gathering.
A mob of about 1,000 people gathered and tried to burn down buildings near the palace compound.
The Royal Air Force fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Another group of thugs tried to set MLA Biswajeet’s house on fire. However, RAF columns dispersed the crowd.
At midnight, another mob surrounded the BJP office in Sinjemai but was unable to do any harm as an army column dispersed them.
Likewise, at midnight, a group of people tried to vandalize the home of BJP (Women’s Wing) Chairman Sharda Devi near Porampet, Imphal. Security forces managed to disperse the young people.
Crowds set up barricades and torched property in the center of Imphal town earlier in the day, officials said.
Among them, on Thursday night, a house of Union Minister RK Ranjan Singh was attacked and attempts were made to burn it down. On Friday, a warehouse near the royal palace was completely burned down by a retired tribal IAS officer.
Security guards and firefighters managed to contain the mob’s attempted arson on Thursday night and saved the foreign minister’s residence here from being destroyed.
A mob clashed with RAF personnel after setting fire to a warehouse on Friday night. The group also burned tires, logs and garbage in the middle of roads in Wangkhei, Porompat and Thangapat districts, affecting traffic flow in the state capital of Manipur, officials said.
More than 100 people were killed in the violent clashes between the Maytel and Kuki ethnic groups in Manipur state a month ago.
The state government has imposed curfews in 11 areas and banned internet services to stop rumors spreading in the state.
The clashes first erupted on May 3 after a “tribal solidarity march” was organized in the mountains to protest the Meitei community’s claim to Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The Meiteis make up about 53% of the population of Manipur and live mainly in the Imphal Valley. Tribes – the Nagas and Kukis – make up the other 40 percent of the population and live in the mountains.
