Additional forces deployed in State after fresh violence

New Delhi (Agency): The central government on Saturday sent ten additional companies of paramilitary forces to Manipur as cases of violence once again shot up, and the situation on the ground remained tense in several areas.

Security forces, including the Indian Army, paramilitary forces and Manipur Police, have launched counter-operations to nab culprits behind fresh incidents.

The move comes after the recent incidents of violence in which five people were hacked to death in two different incidents. The victims included three Meiteis at Kwakta in the Bishnupur district and two Kukis in neighbouring Churachandpur district. Following the violence, the administration has again imposed a curfew in Imphal East and West.

The ten companies, including five of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), three of the Border Security Force (BSF), and one each of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), reached Manipur on Saturday evening.

“Multiple operations were launched in the aftermath of the incident at Kwakta, Bishnupur,” Indian Army stated late on Saturday night, adding that an insurgent from Kuki Independent Army (KIA), a Kuki militant outfit which is not part of the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement, was nabbed and a rifle, ammunition and “war-like stores” recovered.

The state on Friday and Saturday reported fresh cases of firing between different armed groups and between security forces and the armed miscreants. Officials aware of the situation in Manipur said until late Saturday night, there were cases of arson by mobs in several areas, including New Checkon and Torbung.

On Saturday night, Manipur police said that there was another attempt by mobs to rob arms from a police team in Lilong Chajing, Imphal-West district.

Nearly 15 houses were set on fire at Langol in Imphal West district, and one person sustained bullet wounds on his leg.

On Thursday, a large mob of around 500 people had looted over 300 rifles and more than 19,000 pieces of ammunition from the 2nd battalion of the Indian Reserve Battalion in the Bishnupur district. Police informed on Saturday that 15 of those looted arms have been recovered.

In a press note around Saturday midnight, the Manipur Police denied reports of looting of arms and ammunition from several police stations and armouries only in districts located in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley.

“The information is misleading to the extent that arms and ammunitions were looted from different police stations and armories of both hill and valley districts Security forces have been continuously raiding in the hill and valley areas to recover the looted arms and ammunitions,” the release said.

Police informed that of the 4,000 plus weapons looted since the start of the ethnic violence, 1,057 arms and 14,201 ammunition have been recovered from valley districts and 138 arms and 121 pieces of ammunition recovered in hill districts till date.

Since May 3, the northeastern state has been gripped by ethnic clashes – primarily between the tribal Kukis, who reside mostly in the hill districts, and the majority Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal valley – in which at least 160 people have died and over 50,000 have been displaced.

The spurt in violence traces back to an announcement by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum for a mass burial of 35 victims of the ethnic violence on Thursday before it was hurriedly called off following hectic parleys by authorities and a court order.

The Meiteis had opposed the burial plan, and several groups began converging at the proposed burial site, triggering widespread clashes that went on in pockets of the state till Saturday. A Manipur police constable was also shot dead on Thursday. (Courtesy: Hindustan Times)