Firing, arson in Manipur continue; 16 hurt

Indian Army and Assam Rifles personnel take part in a search operation of illegal weapons in Waroching village in Kangpokpi district some 24 km from Imphal on June 3, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Manipur continues to burn a month after clashes between two communities — the Meitei and the Kuki — led to the killing of almost 100 people and displacement of nearly 35,000.

The deployment of a large contingent of Central armed forces and Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for peace from the State’s capital Imphal reduced the intensity of the violence in the past few days, but incidents of attacks and arson have not stopped.

Also read | Explained: What is behind Manipur’s widespread unrest? 

On Friday night, 16 people were injured when suspected extremists attacked two villages — Phayeng and Kangchup Chingkhong — in the Imphal West district. The condition of two of them is said to be critical.

“Unfortunate simultaneous coordinated attack by heavily-armed Kuki terrorists including suspected PDF of Myanmar, with sophisticated weapons, motors & lethod bombs, continues, injuring 16 in Imphal, Manipur. These must stop. Its economically affecting all people of the State,” Lieutenant General (Retd.) L. Nishikanta Singh tweeted on Saturday.

Officials said a fierce gunfight followed when police personnel stationed at the two villages retaliated. The exchange of fire ceased after four hours when the extremists were pushed to the nearby hills.

In another incident, the bodies of seven civilians, killed during an attack by militants in the Sugnu-Serou area of Kakching district on May 28, were recovered on Friday. The deaths of four others had been reported earlier.

At about 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, a mob set fire to the Don Bosco Celestian Novitiate, a Catholic training centre at Yairipok Ngariyan in Kangpokpi district. The centre is about 30 km from Imphal.

“A mob of some 3,000 people burnt the 15-acre centre down following a rumour that the property would be given to the security forces for use. Almost nothing is left of the centre, lying vacant since 2001,” Father Joseph K.S., associated with the centre, told The Hindu.

Also read: Manipur mayhem, a manufactured schism

This centre was often the target of extremists in Manipur. In the last incident on May 15, 2001, members of two extremist outfits gunned down three Catholic priests there for their failure to cough up extortion money.

Reacting to the attack on the Catholic centre, the United Christian Forum of North East India said it was sad that the deployment of the world’s fourth strongest Army and Mr. Shah’s visit had failed to stem the unrest in Manipur.

“Many are beginning to believe that the leaders in Delhi knowingly or inadvertently have let the situation slip out of their hands. The insecurity of the tribes will further push them away and into the wrong direction, given the region’s history of geopolitical turmoil,” the forum’s spokesperson, Allen Brooks, said.

In recent times, the Meiteis have accused the Army and paramilitary forces of siding with Kukis, while the Kukis have accused the Manipur Police of favouring the Meiteis.

On Friday, a joint body of six Imphal Valley-based students’ organisations condemned fake social media reports on the crisis in Manipur.