CHENNAI: Cut off from the internet and social media and locked up in safer precincts, 150 Tamils, many of them doctors, are caught in the ethnic violence in Manipur, official sources said. The state government has reached out to the Tamils ensuring they don’t run out of food and water supplies, official sources said.
“Around 42 of those caught are doctors. The rest are students and people who have gone for work,” sources who are in constant touch with the Tamils said.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. The Tamil Sangam in Manipur is very active. The doctors faced a shortage of drinking water, which was immediately provided with the help of the sangam,” said Jacintha Lazarus, commissioner of rehabilitation and welfare of non-resident Tamils.
The state has a good presence of Tamils who are staying in Moreh, the border town close to Myanmar.
“We are in touch with them to ensure help is provided to people of the state caught in the violence,” Jacintha Lazarus said.
Though the Army has been deployed, the situation is still tense with violence being reported on the streets. “I have advised all the Tamils to stay indoors and not venture out,” she said. People who have roots in Manipur are working in the state and central government departments are also having sleepless nights worried about their dear and near ones in Manipur.
“I have my sister in Manipur. She was living in a house on rent. The house owner did not guarantee her safety and she had to stay in a hospital along with her children,” a senior state government official said.
“Before the riots broke out, everything was normal. I was there on April 26. The situation turned worse after a mob vandalised and set on fire the venue of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s scheduled programme in Churachandpur district on April 27,” he said.
Violence broke out after the majority Meitei community were to be given the status of Scheduled Tribe which is opposed by Nagas and Kukis who form about 40% of the population. The officer said violence could be curbed through the deployment of Army, but tension between the communities still remains.
SPECIAL FLIGHT TO AIRLIFT T’GANA STUDENTS
Hyderabad: The state government on Saturday made arrangements to airlift about 250 Telangana students stranded in the violence-hit Manipur. A special flight was arranged to bring back the students from Imphal to Hyderabad, according to a press release issued by the government.