Persistent ethnic violence plagues Manipur as ministers become targets

In a fresh outbreak of ethnic violence, nine people have been shot dead and 11 injured in Manipur, the northeast Indian state. This violence comes just over a month after an earlier wave of unrest that resulted in the burning of entire villages, leaving dozens dead and tens of thousands homeless. Since then, the state has faced significant isolation, with nearly 3 million people largely cut off from the rest of the country. The government has implemented internet service blocks and travel restrictions in an attempt to contain the violence.

The devastating incident on June 14th witnessed a deadly attack in Aigejang Village, located in the periphery area of Imphal East, Kangpokpi, and Ukhrul districts, also known as Khamenlok, fell victim to an assault involving sophisticated rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), where at least 9 people lost their lives. Most of the victims were believed to be civilian volunteers assisting the community.

While locals said the targeted civilians had been volunteering their services to assist the community, a report filed by The Hindu claimed that the deceased were part of a mob that attacked Kuki villages. Superintendent of Police Shivakanta Singh explained, “Investigations are on to find out if they were killed by village guards or suspected Kuki militants. All the nine deceased are Meitei. We couldn’t find any arms on them.”

The bodies of the deceased victims were taken to the mortuary at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), where authorities are working diligently to identify and notify the affected families. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue and the extent of the casualties becomes clear.

The violence in Manipur has been so extreme that identifying bodies has proven difficult. Doctors and officials from JNIMS and Raj Medicity Hospital expressed the challenges they faced, stating, “The bodies that have come in have not been in a good state. There were many cuts, wounds, and scratches all over,” said Dr. Deben, the director of JNIMS.

The situation worsened as even political leaders became targets. Union Minister of State for External Affairs, RK Ranjan Singh’s official residence in Manipur was torched by a mob. The minister, who was away for work in Kerala, called such acts ‘absolutely inhumane’. According to the Manipur government, a crowd forcefully entered the minister’s house and set it ablaze. The guards stationed in the premises were outnumbered and were unable to prevent the entry of the mob. The Imphal police had to deploy tear gas shells to disperse the gathering near his residence. Singh’s family was also away from the residence at that time.

Singh spoke to the media and said, “I am currently in Kerala for official work. Thankfully, nobody got injured last night at my Imphal home. The miscreants came with petrol bombs and the ground floor and first floor of my house are damaged.” Before Singh’s residence, a mob had set on fire the official quarters of the only women Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen in the Lamphel area in Imphal West district. Firefighters reached the spot and doused the flames before the blaze could spread to the neighbourhood.

Earlier, PWD minister Govindas Konthoujam’s house in Ningthoukhong was vandalised by a mob. Police and RAF personnel had to resort to using tear-gas to dispel the crowd.

As reports of fresh violence in Manipur came to the fore, as many as ten Congress MLAs from the state reached the national Capital on Thursday and sought an appointment from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to Hindustan Times, president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Keisham Meghachandra Singh said, “Right now also, cross firing continues in Manipur and mostly in the periphery area and the state. The central government is still not doing anything about it and Prime Minister Modi never made a comment on it. After 26 days, union home minister Amit Shah left Imphal, but violence still continues and today in the 40th day.”

The violence has its roots in clashes between the Meitei community and the tribal Kuki community, sparked by protests against the consideration of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meiteis. At least 115 people have died, 300 have been injured, and nearly 40,000 have been displaced. The Meiteis, accounting for 53% of Manipur’s population, reside mostly in the Imphal valley, while the Kukis primarily live in the surrounding hill districts. Religious differences further deepen the divide, with Meiteis practicing Hinduism and rival groups, including Kukis and other tribes, being predominantly Christian.