Manipur’s Jiribam district saw a fresh escalation of violence on Saturday with five people dying following attacks by suspected militants, news agency PTI reported. After one person was shot dead in his sleep, four others were killed in a subsequent exchange of fire between armed men of two warring communities, police told media.
This comes after an elderly man was killed and six others, including a 13-year-old girl, were injured on Friday after a rocket, launched by suspected militants, exploded in Manipur’s Bishnupur district.
“Police teams and additional security forces have been rushed in to conduct combing operations in the hill ranges adjoining the area. 02 (two) bunkers at Mualsang village and 01 (one) bunker at Laika Mualsau village of Churachandpur (03 bunkers in total) were destroyed. Further, Police teams of the Bishnupur District including the SP rushed to the area in which they were fired upon by suspected Kuki militants but the police team retaliated robustly and repelled the attack. Military chopper has been deployed to conduct aerial patrolling,” Manipur Police posted on X after the attack on Friday.
At least 226 persons have died and more than 59,000 persons displaced by deadly ethnic violence that broke out between mainly Meiteis belonging to the Hindu faith and predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribes that began on May 03.
Even a year after the violence broke out, the situation remains volatile with thousands of weapons being stolen from government armoury by the fighting groups engaged in regular gunbattle.
Earlier in the week, two people were killed and several others injured as crude bombs were dropped using drones on villages in Imphal West.
Following the escalation of violence, the Manipur Education Department shut down all educational institutes in the state on Saturday. Valley-based civil society organisation Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity announced an indefinite “public emergency”.
