Gunfight in IE, Meetei house bombed in Jiribam
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 23 2024:
Kuki militants continue to launch attack by firing several rounds from atop Thamnapok pi Uyok hill near Thamnapokpi village in Imphal East district on Saturday while suspected Kuki militants destroyed in a Jiribam district village that belonged to a Meetei family.
According to reports, Kuki militants from atop Thamna pokpi Uyok hill fired several rounds towards Thamnapokpi from around 10pm Saturday to which the state forces deployed in Thamnapokpi retaliated.
After a brief silence, the gunfire continued at midnight.
However, no injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, the semblance of peace seemingly returning to Jiribam after recent escalation of violence was shattered as Kuki militants destroyed yet another house of Meetei community using explosive materials at Guwakhal village under Borobekra sub-division on Sunday around 3 am.
The house belonging to one Tongbram Subhash, also had a guest house.
The village predominantly populated by Bish-nupriya community, is located around 3.5 km from Borobekra police station and 500 metres off the Jiri-Tipaimukh road.
The house owner had evacuated to a safer location after the violence broke out in the border district on June 6 .
Mention may be made that the once peaceful district of Jiribam has been plunged into chaos after the brutal killing of 59-year-old Meetei farmer Soibam Sarat-kumar on June 6.The murder ignited tensions between the Meetei and Kuki-Zo communities, leading to widespread violence.
Armed groups from both sides have set fire to numerous homes, displacing nearly 2,000 residents from both communities.
The violence escalated further when suspected Kuki militants targeted and destroyed two police pickets and the Borobekra Forest Beat Office.
Around 100 houses and a temple belonging to Meetei community have been burned in the escalating tension while Kuki organisations claim that around 50 houses of theirs have been burned.
Consequently, over 943 displaced Meetei individuals, primarily women and children, have taken refuge in seven relief camps throughout Jiribam district.
There are reports that over 600 people, including members of the Meetei, Kuki-Zo, and other communities, have fled to relief camps in Assam's Cachar district with the assistance of the district administration.
The fresh round of violence is amid reports that security forces have identified around 55 sensitive zones in the state to enhance their presence as part of efforts to address the ethnic violence lingering for over a year with a government representative confirming that adequate security will be deployed in these sensitive zones.
During the parliamentary polls, central forces were temporarily withdrawn from some areas of the violence-hit state.
With the elections concluded and tensions persisting, these forces are being redeployed.
Mention may be made that Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently chaired a high-level meeting last Monday to review the security situation in Manipur and called for an increase in the strategic deployment of central forces to restore peace.
However, the redeployment of security forces is facing opposition in some areas.