New Delhi: Incidents of extreme violence continue to be reported from Manipur. Over the weekend, incidents of firing were reported from the Churachandpur and Bishnupur border areas. Two people were killed in this fresh violence.
In a shocking instance from Imphal East on Saturday, Lucy Maring, a 55-year-old Naga woman who had a mental illness was found murdered. She had been shot and her face disfigured. According to the police, nine people including five women have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Imphal East District Police in connection with the incident in which one woman was found dead at Keibi Heikakmapal Maning Ching on 15.07.2023. 2 (two) arms, 5 (five) ammunitions and 1 (one) car were seized in connection with the case.
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— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) July 16, 2023
To protest this violence, the United Naga Council has announced a 12-hour shutdown on Monday in all Naga-dominated areas in Imphal. The group called the killing a “cold-blooded murder” and said in a statement that the victim was “forcefully apprehended” by a women’s group and handed over to a private militia that killed her.
“UNC condemns such barbaric committed on innocent Nagas despite knowing her identity as Naga,” the statement reads, demanding action against the perpetrators including Meira Paibis (Meitei women’s vigilante groups). “…exemplary punishment should be initiated upon the culprits,” UNC has said.
The other death was of a 34-year-old man identified as Jangkholun Haokip in Laimaton Thangbuh, a Kuki village in Kangpokpi district in the hill. According to The Hindu, 40-50 armed miscreants stormed the village and fired shots on Sunday.
“A huge mob of civilians, predominantly women, congregated in the foothills and security forces pushed back the mob from entering the hills. The miscreants however fled the area,” a police source told the newspaper.
A group of women reportedly burnt down three trucks carrying LPG cylinders owned by a Kuki-Zo tribal in Imphal West’s Sekmai village on Saturday. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum issued a statement condemning this, saying, “The womenfolk, who claim to be the guardians of society, have morphed into killers, arsonists and abettors of armed militants. They’ve accompanied gunmen during raids on tribal settlements, blocked security forces from helping villagers while they are being attacked, and forced the release of separatist militants responsible for the killings of soldiers. And they are not shy of burning innocent women and children alive if given the opportunity.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the Manipur violence and lives lost. “Manipur burns. EU Parliament discusses India’s internal matter. PM hasn’t said a word on either!” “Meanwhile, Rafale gets him a ticket to the Bastille Day Parade,” he tweeted.
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3. About 150 people have lost their lives so far and tens of thousands have been displaced.