Two ‘village volunteers’ killed in fresh violence in Manipur

In view of the day’s incidents, the curfew relaxation in the Bishnupur district has been curtained on Sunday. Curfew was relaxed from 5am to 5pm but was curtained at 10am amid fresh reports of violence

At least three people were killed after a fresh round of violence erupted in strife-torn Manipur, police said on Sunday.

Manipur has witnessed ethnic tension between the two tribal communities– Meiteis and Kukis since May 3 (Representative Photo)

The incident took place around 12.05am on Sunday when unknown miscreants attacked “village volunteers” of Khoijumantabi village situated on the boundary of Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, police said.

The village volunteers were guarding the area in a makeshift bunker, a police officer said.

A press note released by the Manipur Police on Sunday said, “Today at about 0005hours (12.05am) unknown miscreants from adjoining hills fired at the village volunteers stationed at Khoijumantabi Hills, Bishnupur district.”

“3(three) local village volunteers were killed in the incident. Operation was launched by police in the area and the armed miscreants were repelled,” the press note added.

In view of the day’s incidents, the curfew relaxation in the Bishnupur district has been curtained on Sunday. Curfew was relaxed from 5am to 5pm but was curtained at 10am amid fresh reports of violence.

On Saturday, five civilians were detained by the villagers in Gwaltabi and Urangpat areas under Yaingangpokpi police station, it said, adding that the said civilians were rescued by security forces and handed over to the officer-in-charge of Yaingangpokpi on Sunday.

Stating that 118 checkpoints are installed in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley, police said three arms and six bombs have been recovered in the last 24 hours in the state.

Meanwhile, chief minister N Biren Singh along with security personnel took stock of the situation by visiting the incident areas during the day.

Manipur has witnessed ethnic tension between two tribal communities– Meiteis and Kukis since May 3. So far, 115 people have been reported dead, with over 300 injured and more than 50,000 displaced since the violence broke out.

On Thursday, two other village volunteers were killed in violence that took place at Senjam Chirang, also another Meitei village on the boundary of Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts.

Protesting Thursday’s incident and taking strong exception to the government’s failure to stop violence, the women vendors of the Nupi Keithel – Asia’s largest all-women-run markets, announced to shut their business in Imphal for five days and join the people’s movement to restore peace and normalcy.

As a result, the Khwairamband Keithel– the main market in Imphal and other business establishments around the market remained closed.

In a message to women of the state, the Manipur governor Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Saturday appealed to the people of the state to extend cooperation to solve the ongoing crisis to restore the peace in the state and to the business women community to not to block roads during police operations.

Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Kukis constitute another 40% of the population and reside in the hill districts.