17 injured in fresh clashes in Manipur's Bishnupur; day curfew reimposed in Imphal valley

Tension has been brewing since morning in Bishnupur district as thousands of locals came out on the streets to block the movement of security forces.

Protest over sexual violence against women and for peace in the ongoing ethnic violence in India's north-eastern state of Manipur. (Photo | AFP) 

IMPHAL: Seventeen people were injured when the security forces used force to quell a mob. The incident was reported from a place near the border of Meitei-majority Bishnupur and Kuki-majority Churachandpur districts. 

The violence broke out when a large number of Meiteis, including women, tried to move towards a place where a mass burial of bodies of tribals was planned by a tribal organisation. The security forces stopped the people and dispersed them by firing tear gas shells and using batons.

Tension was brewing in parts of Imphal valley for the past two days over the proposed burial of the bodies of 35 tribals, who were killed in the violence earlier, at an alleged government plot. Some Meitei organisations were furious that the mass burial was planned near a Meitei village. The Meiteis of the village were displaced by the violence.

Given the tense situation, security was heightened at some places on the border of the two districts. 

In another incident, two persons, including a jawan of Manipur Rifles, were injured during a gunfight between two groups at a place on the border of Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts. Both the injured were admitted to a hospital. 

After the fresh violence, the authorities re-imposed a total curfew in Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur districts.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Students’ Organisation criticised Manipur University for issuing a notification pertaining to fresh admission in various post-graduate programmes and integrated courses amid the violence.

The organisation said the varsity authorities should first address the issue of 400 displaced students, including 80 research scholars, who now cannot come to the Imphal Valley, let alone the university.

“Steps should be taken to facilitate their protection of careers by way of online examination…etc. Secondly, fresh admission should be enabled at the hill areas and arrangements be made for the continuation of higher education for the Kuki community in the hill areas,” the organisation insisted. 

Thursday marked the completion of three months of the violence.