The bodies of 13 people were found in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district after security forces received inputs of a gunfight. Their bodies were found with multiple bullet wounds.
Since May 03, the Northeastern state has been gripped by ethnic violence between Kuki and Meitei communities that have claimed nearly 200 lives, as per multiple reports.
On December 3, the Manipur government restored mobile internet services in the state – except within a 2-kilometre radius of the borders of districts dominated by either community – “considering the prevailing law and order situation which is reportedly improving in the past few days”.
The latest flare-up is a blow to the efforts of Union and state governments who claim the situation is back in control.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha in August, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Violence is slowly decreasing and it should not be reignited”
The armed fighting between the ethnic groups has divided the state into two separate territories where not even government officials from the opposite ethnicity can enter.
Kuki-Zo tribal groups have ramped up their demand for a separate administration in the hill districts since the ethnic violence.
