IMPHAL: Violence in Jiribam district of Manipur escalated after miscreants set ablaze a police outpost, a forest beat office, and a forest range office in the early hours of Saturday.
The violence extended to residential areas, with about a dozen houses torched across four to five villages, emerging reports have suggested.
In response to the unrest, the district administration imposed an indefinite curfew in Jiribam and the neighbouring Tamenglong district to contain the situation.
Reinforcements too have been dispatched from the state capital to bolster security in the district.
Earlier on June 6, violence erupted in the distict following the killing of one Soibam Saratkumar Singh, a 59-year-old Meitei, by unidentified assailants.
News of Singh’s death sparked anger among locals, leading to arson and protests in front of the Jiribam police station.
More than 200 people have sought refuge in a temporary shelter in Jiribam town, comprising individuals from the affected villages and nearby areas.
District Magistrate Krishna Kumar stated that the displaced are being provided with food, mattresses, and medical assistance.
“The situation is under control but unpredictable. Security forces are being deployed to the affected areas,” Kumar said, adding that the displaced would return to their homes once stability is restored.
Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, the newly-elected Inner Manipur MP, has also urged the state government to take immediate action to protect residents’ lives and properties.
He also called for a revamp of security arrangements in the district.
Amidst the escalating violence in the state, a blame game has erupted between Meitei organizations and Kuki-Zo bodies, with each pointing fingers at the other for the recent surge in unrest.
The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee released a statement attributing the arson in the village of Lamdai Khunou to retaliatory actions following “unprovoked attacks and burning of numerous Hmar-Kuki-Zomi tribal houses.”
Contrarily, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, representing the Meitei community, suggested that the violence seemed to be a calculated move by immigrant Kuki groups, allegedly aiming to advance their demand for a separate administration through terror tactics.
Jiribam, situated on Manipur’s westernmost boundary adjacent to Assam’s Cachar district, hosts a diverse population comprising Meiteis, Kuki-Zo tribals, and various other tribal and non-tribal communities.
