Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold talks with the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) in New Delhi on August 7 or 8. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said on August 6 that he had facilitated the meeting, on Mr. Shah’s request for “one-to-one” talks with Manipur’s Kuki-Zo tribal leaders.
The development comes amid a fresh cycle of the ethnic violence in Manipur that has claimed more than 150 lives since May 3. On August 5, Mr. Shah reached out to Mr. Zoramthanga, as five people were killed, several houses were torched, and intense gunfights were reported from the neighbouring districts of Kuki-dominated Churachandpur and Meitei-dominated Bishhnupur. On the same day, there was also a fresh attempt to snatch weapons from a police team in Imphal West, which was thwarted, police said. On August 3, a police armoury was looted in Bishnupur.
Ten companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) — accounting for around 1,000 personnel — were airlifted to the State on August 5 night. About 36,000 personnel from Central forces, including the army, have already been deployed in the violence-hit State.
