Curfew Imposed in Manipur Again After Fresh Incidents of Violence, Army Deployed in Key Areas

Manipur Violence Latest Update: The districts in Manipur where the curfew was imposed include Bishnupur, Imphal East, Imphal West and Jiribam.

Imphal: Curfew was imposed in several districts of Manipur again as fresh incidents of violence were reported. The districts where the curfew was imposed include Bishnupur, Imphal East, Imphal West and Jiribam. Notably, the Northeastern state of Manipur has been witnessing violence for many weeks now as the ethnic clashes have claimed over 70 lives in the state since May 3. To bring the situation under control, some 10,000 army and para-military personnel had to be deployed in the state.

Giving details, Security Advisor to the Manipur government, Kuldeep Singh said the Central forces including the Army and Assam Rifle have been instructed to occupy the vulnerable peripheral area of Bishnupur district including the hills.

Fresh violence broke out after the house of Manipur PWD Minister Konthoujam Govindas in Bishnupur district was vandalised by a group of people on Wednesday claiming that the government in the strife-torn state is not doing enough to protect locals from militants belonging to another community.

The minister who is a BJP leader and his family members, however, were not present at the house when the mob, comprising mostly women, attacked the house in Ningthoukhong area and damaged a portion of a gate, windows, a few furniture and electronic gadgets.

Significantly, this is the first time that a minister’s house was attacked during the ongoing ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in the state that started three weeks ago and claimed more than 70 lives. Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed to control the situation in the state.

Clashes broke out in Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence in Manipur was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

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