Manipur in Turmoil: Mob Attacks Chief Minister's Residence Amid Fresh Escalation of Violence

IMPHAL: In Manipur, violence exploded further with a mob protesting the killing of six people storming and vandalizing the residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

These incidents come after a spate of attacks on the homes of three state ministers and six MLAs, including that of the Chief Minister's son-in-law. The irate protesters attacked properties and set several of them on fire, while security forces used tear gas to disperse crowds in various parts of Imphal.

Tensions boiled over after the recovery of the bodies of two women and a child from the Barak River in Jiribam on Saturday. The three had gone missing from the displaced persons' camp since Monday. Three more bodies-two children and one woman—were recovered last night, further inflaming an already volatile situation.

In response to the violence, the government suspended internet services in parts of the state and imposed prohibitory orders across five districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching. Additionally, there has been a reimposition of indefinite curfews in those areas. Such measures the government takes to curb the rising unrest and maintain law and order.

The violence caused schools and colleges to shut down and declared a holiday on Saturday. The Center restored the Armed Forces and Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in several police station areas, including Jiribam, citing the ethnic violence going on between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

These ministers were targeted when protesters stormed the residences of Sapam Ranjan, L Susindro Singh, and Y Khemchand. Attacks and arson give expression to public anger and the erosion of the State administration's credibility.

Ethnical clashes in Manipur began in May 2023 and have already claimed over 200 lives, displacing thousands of people. The killings have been fuelled by tension between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that, although simmering for long, had been underpinned by socio-political and land rights disputes. The latest round of killing and rioting further impinged relations and plunged the atmosphere into fear and uncertainty.

The events on Saturday are a grim continuation of violence that had been scorching the state for months. With its escalation, the challenge before the government is to restore peace and go to the root causes of the ethnic conflict. Meanwhile, the residents of Manipur continue to grapple with the worst human and material costs of unrest, with no end in near view.

But urgency in protection goes hand in hand with a long-term strategy to deal with ethnic divisions and the lack of trust among communities. For the State of Manipur, this is a tough journey that the state needs to go through for the sake of its people and the need for a stable future.

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