On a fateful Friday in the Indian state of Manipur, an already existing ethnic conflict worsened due to an outbreak of fresh violence. The epicenter of this conflagration was in the Tengnoupal district’s Pallel area, lasting for several hours and leaving behind a trail of deaths and a higher number of injuries. The communities embroiled in the conflict, Kukis and Meiteis, were quick to point fingers at each other for this violent incident. Preliminary evidence indicates that the deaths could range from one to two people and injuries in the ballpark of 40 to 50 people, with women also amongst the victims.
The epicenter of the violence was near the town of Pallel, where a skirmish broke out between local residents and Assam Rifles forces. Security forces were compelled to respond with physical force to disperse the crowd. However, the incident escalated into a firefight as the armed individuals and security personnel clashed in the nearby village of Molnoi. Reports indicate that the armed miscreants were attempting to set the village afire and sow chaos. As news of the clash spread, members from the Meitei community gathered in large numbers, marching towards the conflict zone and trying to breach law enforcement barriers. When the security forces tried to disperse the crowd, many locals were hurt in the process.
The environment in the area remained tense as security forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police, were on high alert. The law enforcement agencies employed tear gas shells to control and disperse the crowd. Interestingly, this conflict came a day after a total curfew had been imposed across five district valleys in Manipur as a preventive measure.
Manipur’s rule of law situation has been deteriorating since the outbreak of ethnic violence over a March court order that directed the inclusion of the majority Hindu Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The court decision triggered fierce protests from Kuki and Naga communities within the state, leading to this seemingly unending spell of violence. As a result, this state of tumult has led to thousands of people being internally displaced, with over 180 deaths.
For more details, visit here.