As another body is found floating in a river, situation in Manipur continues to spiral

While the body found Sunday is yet to be identified, this is also suspected to be of one of the six missing.

Tensions escalated in Jiribam again on Sunday morning after a photo of the body was widely circulated. Arson attempts were reported in Jiribam’s Kalinagar area.

Following this, internet services were suspended in Jiribam and Pherzawl districts.

The town had also been rocked by tensions on Saturday night, where, along with the vacated houses of Hmar families, at least four churches were targeted with vandalism and arson.

Charred remains of goods following demonstrations after three bodies, suspected to be of six missing persons from Jiribam district, were found near the Manipur-Assam border on Friday night, in Imphal, Saturday (PTI Photo)

Six people from the same family – three women and three children, including a baby – had gone missing from Jiribam’s Borobekra area after violence in the area. All six are from the Meitei community and had been living in a relief camp set up at the Borobekra police station after violence gripped the area in June.

Meitei groups have been alleging that they were abducted by armed Hmar men, alleged to be militants, who had attacked the area on Monday morning.

Following the violence at the relief camp, security forces had gunned down 10 of the armed men. Earlier this week, the bodies of two elderly Meitei men – also residents of the relief camp – had been found in the area.

Ripples of the violence in Jiribam district reached Imphal on Saturday, where indefinite curfew was imposed as massive protests broke out and homes of political leaders were targeted.

Imphal: People protest after bodies of six people from the Meitei community were found, days after they were taken hostage by suspected Kuki insurgents from Manipur’s Jiribam district, Saturday (PTI Photo)

During the day, mobs attacked and set fire to vehicles and property, including the residences of several BJP leaders. Late Saturday night, a mob also tried to storm Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s private residence in Imphal’s Heingang, though he was not present there at the time. The mob was pushed back by security forces, who used blank fire and tear gas shells. Burning tyres lined the highway leading to his residence.

Internet services were also suspended in seven districts, including both Imphal East and West, for two days. The affected areas include all five districts of the central Meitei majority valley, as well as in the Kuki-Zo majority districts of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur.