Imphal/Guwahati
All-round efforts to ensure that peace returns to Manipur continued on Saturday even as the death count is said to be ranging between 30 and 54 till now with possibility of the toll much higher not ruled out.
“The confirmed death cases are 28-30. We are further verifying. As & when we get it verified and find out that it is because of the violence, we will confirm it,” Manipur’s newly-appointed Security Advisor Kuldeep Singh said. “Yesterday there was skirmish. Army column had to open fire. Today morning, it was found that 3 bodies have been found there,” he added.
On Friday night, a tax assistant was “dragged out” of his official residence and killed. In a tweet, the IRS Association said Imphal-based Income Tax Department officer Letminthang Haokip was killed after ethnic violence between two communities broke out on May 3. “No cause or ideology can justify the killing of an innocent public servant on duty,” the Association said.
While patrolling by security forces was underway in Manipur’s Imphal, long queues in front of petrol pump were seen. Most shops and markets in Imphal town and other places opened in the morning with people buying vegetables and other essential commodities.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh held an all-party meeting to discuss the situation. “In light of the prevailing situation in Manipur, held a meeting with the representatives of ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’ to highlight the crucial role of civil society organisations in bringing peace in the state at this hour,” the CM tweeted. Singh asked for the support of all political parties and asked them to appeal for peace in the region.
The meeting was attended by political parties including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPM, Aam Aadmi Party, and Shiv Sena.
For her part, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey said, “The incidents of violence in the past few days have affected peace & harmony. A few people in the state died in these incidents, and this fills me with grief…I appeal to all of you to maintain harmony and cooperate with the people around you.”
The Army issued a statement earlier in the day saying, “A total of approximately 13,000 civilians have been rescued and are currently staying in various ad-hoc boarding facilities specifically created for the purpose within Company Operating Bases & Military Garrisons.” “More than 100 columns are working tirelessly towards restoring law & order in Manipur at the earliest,” it stated.
Because of the security forces, the situation has improved and we have received strict orders that must not spare those who contribute to violence and strict action must be taken against them, said P Doungel, DGP, Manipur.
Meanwhile, the CRPF has directed its personnel hailing from Manipur and on leave in their home state to “immediately” report to their nearest security base with family members in the wake of a CoBRA commando being killed in the ongoing violence in the state. The commando of the Central Reserve Police Force’s CoBRA, who was on leave, was shot dead by armed assailants in his village in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Friday noon.
A team of Imphal district police recovered arms and ammunition that were snatched from security forces from different areas of Manipur. Five hill-based militants were killed and two India Reserve Battalion jawans were injured in two separate encounters in Churachandpur district on Friday night.
The impact of Manipur violence also spilled over to Meghalaya as the state police apprehended at least 16 persons from the city on Thursday evening under section 107 CrPC for fomenting trouble.
Clashes first broke out on Wednesday in Churachandpur town after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation quota, granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. Shoot at sight orders were issued on Friday in view of the worsening violence.
