The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday re-registered six First Information Reports (FIR) and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into criminal conspiracy, as it took over the probe into Manipur’s ethnic violence that has claimed 105 lives since May 3, officials familiar with the matter said.
Read here: After three days of fragile peace, fresh attack hits Manipur
Nearly 40,000 people have also been displaced in the clashes between the tribal Kukis, who mostly reside in the hill districts, and the Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley.
During his visit to the northeastern state last week, Union home minister Amit Shah announced a CBI probe into six of the 3,700 FIRs lodged in connection with the violence. The cases to be taken up include five on “criminal conspiracy” and one on “general conspiracy” behind the clashes.
Confirming the development, a CBI spokesperson said on Friday: “CBI has today registered six cases transferred by the state of Manipur pertaining to incidents of large-scale violence leading to destruction and looting of properties, arson, looting/snatching of arms/ammunition, loss of human lives etc. in various districts of Manipur.”
“A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted for a thorough probe in the said six cases and to unearth criminal conspiracy behind the unfortunate incidents,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted for a thorough probe in the said six cases and to unearth criminal conspiracy behind the unfortunate incidents,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}A deputy inspector general (DIG)-rank officer is set to lead the 10-member SIT that will look into all aspects related to the conspiracy behind over month-long violence, a CBI officer familiar with the matter said.
Clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis first erupted on May 3 during a protest against a court-ordered tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the latter. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders.
The authorities clamped a curfew and suspended internet, pumping in additional security forces to force a break in the spiraling clashes. Internet is still not back in the state.
Read here: 11,763 ammo, 896 weapons, 200 bombs recovered in Manipur: Singh
But tensions were simmering for much longer, owing to the state government’s decision to exit the tripartite accord and move against some forest dwelling groups it termed as encroachers.
On June 4, the Union government formed a three-member judicial inquiry panel to probe the ethnic violence in Manipur on the recommendation of the state government.