Churachandpur: Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Manipur Monday, the state Sunday witnessed a fresh round of violence.
A fierce gunfight in the eastern district of Chandel in Manipur early Sunday killed two Kuki men and injured nine others. All injuries and deaths were caused by bullet wounds, the doctor on duty at Churachandpur district hospital, where the victims were brought, told ThePrint.
According to eyewitnesses, the firing started at around 3 am in the Sugnu region, which, till now, was peaceful. The villagers from the area told ThePrint that on 3 May, when rioting started between the ethnic Kuki tribals and non-tribal Meitei community across Manipur, the two groups in Sugnu had decided to refrain from violent clashes.
Earlier this month, violence had erupted in the state following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ held to protest plans to give Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Meiteis. In March, the Manipur High Court had, in a judgment, directed the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the state’s ST list.
While an appeal has been filed against the judgment, the Supreme Court earlier this month also made a critical remark against it. “There was an understanding between the Meiteis and the Kukis that they would not attack each other. The peace agreement was signed on 3 May in the presence of Congress MLA from Sugnu, K. Ranjit Singh,” said Robert Thangkhanlal from Aigejang village.
ThePrint reached Singh via call but did not receive a response. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
However, the villagers remained alert.
In the fighting Sunday, which lasted till afternoon, two Kuki men — 26-year-old Thangminlun Haokip from Phaisi village and 40-year-old Douminthang Haokip from Haikal village — died of gunshot wounds on their chests, said doctors.
“Despite the peace agreement, sporadic firing did happen in the area before. But today, the attack was big and it caught the villagers off-guard. The other side fired twin motor bombs as well,” alleged Albert Ngamminlen Haokip while speaking to ThePrint Sunday. A Kuki, Haokip was among the injured and had received lacerations on the head.
Meanwhile, in Imphal, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, addressing the media Sunday, branded the Kuki militants as “terrorists” and said during their operation to check violent incidents and attacks on civilians, the security forces in the state have killed 30 Kuki militants so far.
“In retaliatory and defensive operations against these terrorist groups, who are using sophisticated arms against the civilian population, around 30 of these terrorists have been killed in different areas. A few have also been arrested by the security forces,” new agency ANI quoted the CM as saying.
Also Read: 1 dead, 3 injured, ambulances on standby: Another violent night in Manipur’s Churachandpur
CM vs tribal leaders
The chief minister also dismissed that the riots are between two communities (Meiteis and Kukis) and added that those fighting with the security forces are “armed terrorists”.
The CM also said that the increase in violence in the periphery in the last two days seems planned, as it coincides with the visit of Union ministers.
Shah is expected to arrive in Imphal Monday and remain in the state till 1 June. Apart from him, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Nityanand Rai, and Sambit Patra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson and Northeast in charge, are already in the state and have been talking to tribal leaders.
Army chief General Manoj Pande arrived in Manipur Saturday to review the law and order situation. He was accompanied on his two-day visit by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita.
Countering Biren’s claim, the tribal leaders in Churachandpur said his allegations are baseless and no Kuki “militants” are involved in this crisis.
“All our militants are in the SoO (Suspension of Operations) camps. They are under agreement. They are not participating in this crisis,” said Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum.
SoO is a ceasefire pact signed between the central government, state, and tribal insurgent groups.
Meanwhile, United People’s Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation Sunday released a joint statement calling home minister Shah’s visit a positive development.
“The planned visit of Shri Amit Shah has given a sense of security among the Kuki Zo tribe. We look forward to his actions and directions to end this ongoing ethnic clash between the two communities. Therefore, we appeal to the Kuki Zo population to maintain peace and wait for the outcome of his peace mission to the state,” the statement said.
Imphal also saw unrest Sunday as the house of BJP MLA Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh at Uripok in Imphal West was vandalised and his two vehicles were set ablaze, ANI reported.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also read: Mob attacks Manipur MP Rajkumar Ranjan Singh’s residence in Imphal day after death of Meitei man