Summary
- In the past few days, protests were taking place after six people of the Meitei community went missing from a relief camp.
- On Friday, three bodies were found about 20 kilometers away from the relief camp, after which violence started. The angry mob attacked the houses of public representatives.
- In view of the situation, the administration imposed curfew in many areas including Imphal, internet service was also shut down at many places.
- Meanwhile, the Manipur government has urged the central government to remove the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from six police station areas.
India’s northeastern state Manipur is once again in the grip of violence. In this violence that took place on Saturday, the houses of many MLAs and ministers in the Imphal valley were also attacked and many vehicles were set on fire.
Manipur Police has told on social media, “The angry mob in Imphal has targeted the houses and property of many public representatives including state ministers and MLAs. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.”
Eight people have been injured in this police action. In view of the situation, the local administration has imposed curfew in many areas including the capital Imphal. Apart from this, internet service has also been stopped at many places.
According to news agency PTI, on Saturday, the Manipur government has urged the central government to remove AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA) from six police station areas of the state.
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act is a special law under which special powers have been given to the armed forces to maintain public order in disturbed areas. Using this law, the armed forces can ban the gathering of five or more people in any area.
If the armed forces feel that a person is breaking the law, then after giving him a proper warning, force can be used and he can also be shot at.
AFSPA gives the armed forces the right to arrest any person without a warrant on reasonable suspicion and to enter and search any premises.
Attack on the houses of ministers and MLAs
National People’s Party MLA in Manipur Assembly Sheikh Noorul Hasan told BBC, “A crowd of about 100-150 people came to my house at around 4 pm. I have just come to Delhi, so I spoke to some of the people in the crowd on the phone.”
“They said that the current MLAs and ministers are not able to handle the situation in Manipur, so people were demanding their resignation. I accepted all their demands. So they returned without attacking my house. I have told them that I am ready to do whatever the public says.”
On the other hand, a group of people attacked the house of independent MLA Sapam Nishikant Singh and destroyed the security post in front of the gate of his house.
The same mob also attacked the house of MLA RK Imo from Sagolband area of Imphal West district and burnt many things including furniture there.
According to news agency PTI, the effect of curfew imposed in the capital Imphal was seen on Sunday morning. The roads here are completely deserted.
The Meitei community is in majority in the Imphal valley of Manipur state.
In the capital Imphal, Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed in the urban areas for security.
After the violence on Saturday, the police have arrested 23 people. The police have also recovered some weapons.
Manipur Police has told on the social media platform X that curfew has been imposed in Imphal city till further orders and internet services have also been shut down for two days.
According to news agency PTI, after the violence in Manipur, people in the neighboring state of Mizoram have also been asked to be extra cautious so that any kind of communal violence can be prevented from erupting.
What happened in the past few days that sparked the violence?
On November 7, in Jiribam of the state, armed extremists shot a woman of the Kuki tribe and then allegedly burnt her along with her house. Violence has been going on continuously in Jiribam since this incident.
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On November 11, there was an alleged encounter between the CRPF and the extremists in Jiribam district. Manipur Police said on social media, “Armed extremists attacked a CRPF post located in Jakurador area of Jiribam district. After which the security forces immediately retaliated in defense.”
Soon after this encounter that lasted for 40 minutes, the police confirmed the recovery of the bodies of 10 armed extremists. All those killed in the encounter were tribal youths.
According to news agency PTI, after the incident, indefinite curfew was imposed in Jiribam district to maintain peace.
After this encounter, six members of a family of Meitei community went missing from a relief camp near Borabekhra police station.
These included three children and the Meitei people alleged that armed extremists had kidnapped these people.
There was a lot of anger among the people about this incident and women were protesting at various places in Imphal.
Meanwhile, five days later, on Friday, three bodies were found in the river about 20 kilometers away from the relief camp near Jirimuk village, which included the bodies of a woman and two children. After this, fresh violence has been seen in Imphal.
After finding the bodies, the police said that until the post-mortem of the bodies is done, nothing can be said about whether these are the bodies of the missing people or not.
However, local media reports have said that these bodies are of the missing people.
Who said what on the Manipur incident?
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi posted on Instagram on the latest incident in Manipur.
He wrote, “The recent violent clashes and continuous bloodshed in Manipur have raised deep concerns. After more than a year of division and suffering, it was the hope of every Indian that the central and state governments would make every possible effort for reconciliation and find a solution.”
Rahul Gandhi said, “I urge the Prime Minister to once again come to Manipur and work towards peace and improvement in the region.”
The Rashtriya Janata Dal has also given a statement on the Manipur incident.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari has said, “Manipur is burning and it seems that the Prime Minister does not care about the incident happening there. PM Modi talks about every issue except Manipur.”
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, the main organization of the Meitei community in Manipur, has demanded the state government to take strict action against the Kuki extremist organizations within the next 24 hours.
This organization has announced to start a massive movement in the Imphal valley from Sunday.
Two soldiers and five civilians killed in Manipur in two days, what is the reason for the latest violence?
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In view of the current situation in the state, the administration has shut down the internet for two days in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts.
According to the press release of the Press Information Bureau of the Government of India i.e. PIB, the Home Ministry has directed the security forces to take necessary steps to restore peace in Manipur.
This also includes It is said that violence has intensified in Manipur for the last few days. Armed miscreants from both the communities have been involved in violence in the conflict, which unfortunately resulted in loss of lives and disruption of public order.
According to the press release, important cases have been handed over to the NIA for effective investigation and the general public has been appealed to maintain peace, not to believe in rumors and to cooperate with the security forces.
Why is Manipur in the grip of violence?
The bodies of the alleged extremists killed in Jiribam were brought to Assam for post-mortem and a large number of people gathered there to take these bodies with them.
According to Numal Mehta, Superintendent of Police, Cachar district of Assam, “Jiribam police brought 12 bodies to Silchar Medical College for post-mortem, as we know 12 people were killed in an encounter with the police in Manipur. After that the post-mortem was going on here for five days and many Kuki people had gathered here.”
“They tried to create trouble earlier, some people even pelted stones here. Manipur police was also present here. This is a matter of a neighbouring state and we will not let law and order problem arise in Assam because of this. We will take strict action against it. Today (on November 16) his body was sent to Churachandpur by plane.”
A period of violence had started between the Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur since the beginning of May last year.
The demand for granting Scheduled Tribe status to the influential Meitei community of the state is considered to be the main reason for this violence.
This was opposed by the people of the tribes living in the hilly areas of Manipur, mainly the people of the Kuki tribe.
Many people have lost their lives in this violence and a large number of people also had to take shelter in relief camps. Due to the violence, there has been a huge loss of public and private property in the state.
This affected the studies of students from various states across the country living in Manipur and after the violence, hundreds of students had to leave Manipur.
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