Last update:November 19, 2024, 10:16 AM IST

The fresh wave of attacks was triggered by the discovery of bodies of six abducted persons, including two children, who were taken away by suspected Kuki militants from Manipur’s Jiribam district.

Security personnel during a search and dominate area operation in vulnerable areas in the hill and valley districts of Manipur. (PTI photo)

Manipur witnessed a fresh wave of violence last week, prompting Union Home Minister Amit Shah to cancel his poll-bound rallies in Maharashtra and forcing Central Reserve Police Force DG (CRPF) to rush to the restive northeastern state to assess the situation.

The unrest also led to several rounds of meetings with Amit Shah and the security establishment to restore law and order. The Center has decided to send additional troops to Manipur with nearly 7,000 personnel expected to arrive soon, according to the order.

Meanwhile, a large mob attacked the houses of several MLAs and the personal residence of Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh. Several vehicles were damaged during the violence and the situation remained tense.

“The security situation in Manipur has been fragile for the past few days. Armed miscreants from both communities involved in the conflict have engaged in acts of violence, resulting in tragic loss of life and disruption of public order. All security forces have been instructed to take necessary steps to restore peace and order. Strict action will be taken against anyone who engages in violent or disruptive activities. Important cases have been handed over to NIA for effective investigation,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release.

The MHA has also expanded operational control of the military by extending the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to areas of six police stations.

What sparked the violence on November 7

The fresh wave of attacks was triggered by the discovery of bodies of six abducted persons, including two children, who were captured by suspected Kuki militants from Manipur’s Jiribam district.

As the nation celebrates Chhath Puja on November 7, an armed group of Meiteis attacked Zairawn village, allegedly raping and killing a woman, then setting fire to the school. Sources reported that the woman was almost completely burned. After committing the gruesome crime, the group set fire to several houses in the village.

There were allegations from the Kukis that the CRPF did not intervene even though the force could have protected the village.

Following the November 7 attack, the situation escalated when a group of suspected Kuki militants attacked a Meitei group in the same district.

Revenge on November 11th

Ten suspected Kuki militants were killed by the CRPF in Borobekra of Jiribam on November 11. However, on the same day, suspected Kuki militants kidnapped six members of a Meitei family, killing two elders.

“On November 11, 2024, between 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM, the Borobekra Police Station, where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were sheltered, and the CRPF post located nearby at Jakuradhor in Jiribam District were simultaneously attacked by militants armed with sophisticated weapons . , including RPGs and automatic firearms. Some nearby houses were damaged and set on fire in the attack,” the Manipur Police clarified.

The civil police and CRPF “retaliated strongly”. “After 40-45 minutes of heavy firing, the situation was brought under control. With the ceasefire, the area was searched and 10 dead bodies of armed militants in military fatigues were recovered along with weapons and ammunition of war including three AKs, four SLRs, two INSAS rifles, one RPG, one pistol action, bulletproof helmets and magazines were not ambushed but were killed during the retaliatory fire by the security forces,” the police said from Manipur. “Had the security forces not retaliated, the damage could have been much worse.”

The militants were identified as coming from the remote districts of Churachandpur and Pherzawl and traveled long distances to carry out these attacks.

During the attack, a CRPF constable, Sanjeev Kumar, was injured by a bullet and was evacuated to Silchar Medical College, Assam, where he is receiving treatment, police added.

Reinforcement teams comprising Assam Rifles, CRPF and Civil Police have been deployed in the area. Operations in and around Jakuradhor under Borobekra police station continue to eliminate armed militants. After the attack, 13 IDP civilians disappeared. Later, three IDP civilians were rescued from Guakhal by police and Assam Rifles. During subsequent searches in Jakuradhor village, which had been set on fire by the armed militants, two dead bodies of IDP civilians were found. They have been identified as Maibam Kesho Singh (75) and Laishram Barel (61) of Modhupur. “Another person was found alive and rescued and another IDP (Internally Displaced Person) civilian returned to the police station alone. Currently, six IDP civilians, including three women and three children, are still missing. Search operations are on,” the Manipur Police added.

What happened at the weekend?

The main violence escalated after the bodies were found floating in a river. It was later confirmed that these bodies belonged to the kidnapped family. On November 15, two bodies were found and another was recovered the same day at night. On November 16, three bodies were later discovered in a river.

Following this, several churches were set on fire by different groups. Houses of MLAs were raided and curfews were imposed along with internet bans in various parts of Manipur.

What are the ethnic fault lines in Manipur?

The state comprises two distinct communities Meiteis who form slightly more than half of the population and live in the Imphal Valley, while the tribals, Kukis and Nagas are nearly 40%, 25% and 15% respectively and live in hill districts.

The Meites are predominantly Hindu; 8% of the Meiteis are Muslims called Meitei Pangals. The Meites are better represented in business and state politics than the Kukis and Nagas.

The Kukis, who are mostly Christians, are spread throughout the Northeast and Myanmar. Most of them migrated from Myanmar decades ago and were originally settled by the Meita kings in the hills of Manipur.

During the Nagaland insurgency, Naga militants claimed that the Kukis were settled in areas that must be part of a separate Naga state. In 1993, Nagas and Kukis clashed, resulting in hundreds of Naga casualties. Although both communities are opposed, but they are together against Meita.

What led to the May 2023 violence?

Last year in May, violence erupted in Manipur when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized by tribals including Kukis and Nagas of Churachandpur district to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. .

During the Torbung march, an armed mob allegedly attacked people from the Meitei community, leading to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts that escalated across the state. The violence left more than 160 dead and several injured.

Another trigger was the eviction of Kuki villages that the government said were encroaching on the protected forest area. The feeling against the Meitei community was ready to explode and these factors provided enough sparks.