Manipur violence: Hospitals put toll at 52

At the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal West, 26 bodies – 24 men and 2 women – have been brought to the mortuary by security personnel during the course of the violence, senior hospital officials said. Only one body has been claimed by a family from Nambol in Bishnupur district.

At Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East, two patients succumbed to their injuries in the hospital while 12 bodies were brought to the mortuary by security personnel from different districts. Not a single one has been claimed by their families, said senior hospital authorities.

While state capital Imphal has seen Kukis at the receiving end of the violence, the Meiteis have been targeted in areas dominated by hill tribes. (PTI Photo)

The state government or police have not released the official toll so far. On Friday, P Doungel, Director General of Police (DGP) Manipur, had cited security reasons for the decision.

Among those who died in the alleged firing by security personnel in Churachandpur was 34-year-old Nianghoihching. According to her brother Lam Jacob, she had been working as a nurse on a contractual basis at Churachandpur District Hospital since 2021, after working in Jasola Apollo in Delhi for eight years.

“We were at home in the evening when all of a sudden we heard that the Army is trying to evacuate Meiteis from the area and that we have to block the road. Everyone started moving out to the road and so did she. I stayed back at home. Around 10-15 minutes after she left, we heard that she had been injured. Once she was taken to the hospital, we were told that she had died,” Jacob said.

According to Muan Hangsing (24), a researcher and resident of Churachandpur, the developments of the evening came at the end of a day of “uneasy calm” in the town.

“Because of the Army deployment, no one dares to move around during the day. But around 7 pm, we got information that security vehicles are moving to evacuate Meitei people stranded in the town. We all gathered at Tidim Road and barricaded it, with women at the forefront because we thought that the security personnel would not shoot at them,” he said.

Personnel of Army and Assam Rifles rescue people from the violence-hit areas after tribal groups’ protest over court order on Scheduled Tribe status, in Imphal. (PTI Photo)

Another 30-year-old local who had gathered to barricade the road said that “the Meiteis are stuck here, while Kuki people are stuck in Imphal”, and that until the safety of Kukis is ensured, locals did not want Meiteis to be evacuated from the area.

While state capital Imphal has seen Kukis at the receiving end of the violence, the Meiteis have been targeted in areas dominated by hill tribes.

An Assam Rifles official in Imphal said he had received inputs that a gathering of “80-200” people had taken place and confirmed that people had died in the firing. “Evacuation of people from different parts of the state is constantly going on,” he said, adding that the blockading of roads continues to be common in different parts of the state.

A senior official from the central security forces also confirmed the deaths.

At JNIMS in Imphal, a hospital official said that while 62 injured have come to the hospital since the violence broke out, the last such case had come in on Friday morning.

Army and Assam Rifles personnel conduct a flag march in violence-hit areas amid tribal groups’ protest over court order on Scheduled Tribe status, Manipur. (PTI Photo)

“Of the 62, except four-five cases, all have pellet injuries. Of these, 26 have been admitted. Some of these include grievous injuries such as a skull injury with a pellet in the brain and another of serious abdominal injury,” said the official, adding that most of the injured have been brought in by civic volunteers.

Meanwhile, the IRS (Indian Revenue Service) Association said a tax assistant identified as Letminthang Haokip had been killed in Imphal. “No cause or ideology can justify the killing of an innocent public servant on duty,” they tweeted.

Also, on Saturday, the DIG (ops) of CRPF wrote in an internal communication to his force: “Regarding ensuring safety of CRPF personnel on leave, during the prevailing Law and Order situation in Manipur, Competent Authority has desired all the units offices/establishments to promptly contact their personnel hailing from Manipur, who are presently on leave. In case they feel unsafe/insecure, they be directed to report immediately at the nearest CRPF, BSF, SF location, along with their family members. Please ensure to extend all possible assistance to such personnel on priority basis.”

This comes a day after a CRPF constable identified as Chonkholen Haokip, who was on leave, was shot dead when he tried to stop men setting a village on fire.