Violence in Manipur goes uncontrollable, shoot-at-sight orders issued as law and order falls

Imphal: Manipur’s Home Department on Thursday issued an order to ‘shoot-at-sight’ to manage ‘extreme cases’ after the violence between Kuki tribe and the majority Meitei community spun out of control at several places in the state for the second day.

Violence was reported from between the hill district of Churachandpur to the capital Imphal, even after Army and Assam Rifles were on the ground to normalise the situation, according to The Indian Express.

A legislator belonging to Kuki tribe was rushed to hospital after a mob attacked his car on Thursday afternoon, illustrating the poor law and order in the state.

The ‘tribal solidarity march’ taken out by All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) triggered clashes between two groups first at an area close to Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts on Wednesday.

ATSUM , the state’s apex tribal body, was protesting against including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category following a directive by Manipur High Court on April 19.

The development ‘reopened an old ethnic fault line’ between the two tribal communities; the plain-dwelling Meitei community has long been calling for inclusion in ST list, which the Nagas and Kukis strongly opposed on fears of losing their lands, according to The Indian Express report.

Alongside the reservation issues they were protesting, Kuki tribal groups were upset about the Biren Singh-led BJP government’s alleged eviction of tribes from their forest lands.

Adding to the simmering situation were the ‘church demolitions’ and ‘frequent insinuations’ of terming them as ‘illegal migrants’ from neigbouring Myanmar.

Since Wednesday evening, Imphal valley has been under siege after violence spread in cascading effect from hill districts to more areas.

Roaming mobs on Thursday set houses and vehicles belong to rival groups on fire alongside torching two churches, and meanwhile Meitei residents in pockets in hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi came reportedly under attack.

A mob attacked legislator Vungzagin Valte, an adviser to the Chief Minister N Biren Singh, while returning in his car after a review meeting with the CM in Imphal.

While the paramilitary forces and police vainly struggled to control the situation, mobs of stick-wielding miscreants blocked roads on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses reported to have seen two bodies lying beside torched vehicles in Lamphel area of Imphal West district.

Chief Minister Biren Singh said that ‘precious lives have been lost’, appealing for peace on Thursday.

Earlier on Wednesday in a video message he linked the cause of the situation to ‘prevailing misunderstanding between two sections of the society.’

The government has suspended both mobile data and broadband internet services in the state for five days.