As a heavy exchange of fire continued between two groups in the areas bordering the Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts of Manipur for the third consecutive day, six people had been killed since Wednesday. Five lost their lives on Thursday.
Paokam Kipgen of Churachandpur, and Pausawndam Vaiphei of Kangvai were killed on Thursday, while music composer L.S. Mangboi, 42, resident of Churachandpur, also died of injuries incurred a day earlier. They were among the seven injured on Wednesday, including two Indian Reserve Battalion jawans.
On Thursday, two Meiteis died and they have been identified as Pebam Deven Singh (52) and Moirangthem Ropen Singh (48). One more Meitei who has been identified as Oinam Iboiyama (34) died on Wednesday. They all were the residents of Bishnupur.
A defence source said that women-led groups in Meitei-dominated Bishnupur have been stopping additional security forces from reaching the areas where the two groups have engaged in an intense gunfight since the early hours of August 29.
The Manipur police said that an exchange of fire had taken place between armed miscreants at Lonphai and Khousabung.
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“Security forces deployed in the area responded and subsequently firing has subsided. Situation is tense but under control,” a police statement said.
The violence continued even as A.K. Mishra, the Union Home Ministry’s security adviser for the Northeast, held talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups that are in a suspension of operations (SoO) pact with the government.
The SoO groups have scaled up their earlier demand for a separate administration, and are now asking for a Union Territory with legislature to be created for the Kuki-Zo-Hmar-dominated districts in Manipur. The talks will continue on Friday.
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The demand is likely to create consternation among the Nagas, the other dominant tribal group in the State, as many areas have a mixed population of both major tribal groups.
The Indigeneous Tribal Leaders Forum, a Kuki-Zo body, said in a statement that the “unending attacks are clearly a ploy to derail the political talks between the tribal SoO groups and the Union government.”
It called for an emergency shutdown in Churachandpur, stating that the Khousabung, Kangvai and Sugnu (in Chandel district) areas are under attack.
