Violence Spreads In Manipur, Legislators’ Residences Attacked: 10 Points
Manipur has plunged into turmoil again, with violent protests erupting after the recovery of six bodies, including two children, near the Assam border. Mobs attacked the residences of legislators, including Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in Imphal, demanding accountability and action. Internet services have been suspended, and curfews imposed in several districts as tensions escalate. The unrest stems from ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which has claimed over 250 lives since May 2023. The Centre has reimposed AFSPA in some areas to control the situation, while calls for justice and peace continue to grow across the state.
Latest escalation in Manipur: 10 points
1. Protests erupted in Manipur’s Imphal Valley after the bodies of six missing individuals, including two children, were recovered from a river near the Assam border. The discovery escalated tensions in the violence-hit state.
2. Protestors targeted the residences of several MLAs and state ministers, including Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s home. Security forces resorted to tear gas and imposed curfews in five districts to control the situation.
3. Internet services were suspended in seven districts as violence spread. Protesters, demanding justice, blocked roads, burned tyres, and attacked properties, prompting panic buying and the closure of shops.
4. The bodies of three individuals, allegedly abducted from a relief camp during earlier clashes, were identified.
5. Ethnic violence has gripped Manipur since May 2023, with clashes between the majority Meitei community and tribal Kuki groups over demands for Scheduled Tribe status. Over 250 people have died, and 60,000 have been displaced.
6. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was reimposed in six police station jurisdictions by the Centre, sparking demands from the Manipur government for its withdrawal due to public opposition.
7. The Union Home Ministry attributed the unrest to “armed miscreants” from both communities. It urged residents to maintain peace and assured strict action against those indulging in violence.
8. Eleven Kuki militants were killed on November 12 in Jiribam after attacking a CRPF camp. Security forces retaliated, recovering weapons and sustaining injuries during the clashes.
9. Protests led by Kuki-Zo groups continued in the hill areas, demanding the return of the deceased’s bodies. Demonstrators clashed with security forces in Silchar, Assam, prompting the bodies to be airlifted.
The recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur is deeply disturbing.
After more than a year of division and suffering, it was the hope of every Indian that the Central and State governments would have made every effort at reconciliation and found a…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 16, 2024
10. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre and state governments for failing to restore peace, while local leaders condemned violence targeting women, children, and opposition representatives.
I strongly condemn the reported brutal killing of women and children, including an eight-month-old infant and a two-and-a-half-year-old child, after having taken them hostage. No violence can be justified, regardless of the grievances — perceived or real or playing victims in the…
— A. Bimol Akoijam (@Bimol_Akoijam) November 16, 2024
