Marking a month of unrest, the Manipur government on Friday said at least 98 people had been killed and 310 left injured in the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the Northeastern state.
The violence first broke out on May 3 after thousands of people participated in a protest march to oppose the demand of the Meiteis to be included in the Scheduled Tribes category. The chief minister’s office stated that 37,450 citizens are sheltered in 272 camps.
The Manipur Police have registered 3,734 cases and arrested 65 persons for their involvement in the unrest, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the government appealed to the people to surrender the snatched arms and ammunition. “Stringent legal action will be taken against any person if caught with snatched arms and ammunition,” it said.
So far, 144 arms with 11 magazines have been recovered by the security agencies, said the statement. Till now, 84 companies of central armed forces have been deployed, the statement said.
In all, it said 4,014 arson cases have been reported since the violence broke out in the state on May 3.
The curfew has been relaxed for 12 hours in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Pherzawl, for 11 hours in Kangpokpi, 10 hours in Churachandpur and Chandel, for eight hours in Jiribam and Tenugopal, and for seven hours in Thoubal and Kakching districts.
The curfew has been lifted from Senapati, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Noney and Tamenglong districts.
Since the protest march, large-scale violence has been reported in the North Eastern state, including attacks on state legislators and ministers’ homes, making the situation more precarious.
