Manipur ground report: Shoot-at-sight orders as violence rages, CM says ‘precious lives lost’

In a reflection of the breakdown of law and order across Imphal, a Kuki legislator has been admitted to a state-run hospital, after his car was allegedly attacked by a mob on Thursday afternoon.

Smoke billows out from buildings after violence broke out during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by All Tribal Student Union Manipur, in Imphal on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

Clashes between the two groups were first reported in an area bordering Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts on Wednesday, following a ‘tribal solidarity march’ organised by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM), the state’s apex tribal body.

The participants were protesting the demand for inclusion of the state’s Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, following an April 19 Manipur High Court directive.

The development has reopened an old ethnic faultline in the state between the plain-dwelling majority Meitei community and the hill tribes. While the Meiteis have long demanded to be included in the ST list for more protection, the state’s tribes — primarily Nagas and Kukis — have strongly opposed it, arguing that it would rob them of their lands.

While the immediate trigger for the violence stemmed from the rally protesting the inclusion of state’s Meitei community in the ST list, there has been simmering tensions between Kuki tribal groups and the Biren Singh-led BJP government. The Kukis have been unhappy over the government’s multiple eviction drives in their “ancestral forest lands”, church demolitions and frequent insinuations that there are “illegal immigrants” from neighbouring Myanmar among them.

Vehicles in flames after violence broke out during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by All Tribal Student Union Manipur, in Imphal on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

By Wednesday evening, the violence spread from the hill districts to other parts of the state, including Imphal valley, which has practically been under siege since. Through Thursday, mobs went on a rampage, burning houses and vehicles allegedly belonging to a particular tribal group. At least two churches have been torched too. Meanwhile, in the hill districts such as Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, pockets with Meitei residents were allegedly under attack.

Thanlon legislator Vungzagin Valte, also the adviser to Chief Minister N Biren Singh, was allegedly attacked by a mob while returning in his car after a review meeting with the CM in Imphal. As per sources, Valte, who hails from the Pherzawl district, was admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal. A BJP MLA, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the incident but said Valte was “doing okay”.

A water tanker set afire during protests in Churachandpur in Manipur on Thursday. (Reuters)

Through Imphal, stick-wielding mobs blocked arterial roads on Thursday, even as the paramilitary forces and police tried to bring the situation under control, but in vain. In Lamphel area, which falls under the Imphal West district, eyewitnesses claimed to have seen two bodies lying on the side of road, next to several torched vehicles.

While no official figures were available on the number of casualties, Chief Minister Biren Singh, in his appeal for peace on Thursday, said that “precious lives have been lost” besides “damage of property of residents”. He said the developments were “very, very unfortunate”.

Breaking his silence for the first time the morning after the violence started, he said in a video message that the situation arose because of a “prevailing misunderstanding between two sections of the society”.

Stating that incidents of clashes, vandalism, and arson have been reported from Imphal, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi and Moreh districts, he said, “The state government is seized of the developments and is taking all steps to control the law and order situation… In this hour, I appeal to one and all to maintain peace and harmony in your respective areas. I urge you not to believe in rumours and unverified messages.”

Both mobile data services and broadband internet have been suspended in the state for five days.

Despite the CM’s appeals for peace, the situation remained tense, with the Army having to evacuate 7,500 civilians to safety in various parts of the state. A 36-year-old tribal resident of Imphal said that his home was vandalised by a mob on Thursday afternoon, after which he and his family members had to “run for shelter” to the home of a police officer nearby. “We ran out from the back (of our house)… the situation is very tense, and we are terrified,” he said on the phone from Imphal, adding that many of his family and friends were currently taking refuge in CRPF shelters. “Even at this point, I can hear teargas, gunshots,” he said on Thursday afternoon, adding that “the state government had absolutely failed at curbing the rampaging mobs”.

The Indian Express reached out to several of the state’s senior police and district officials but no one was available for comment. Paolienlal Haokip, the MLA from Saikot constituency, which is a part of Churachandpur district, said that there were “lots of deaths and lots of arson”.

Meanwhile, Torbung village in Bishnupur district, bordering Churachandpur — where clashes were first reported on Wednesday — resembled a warzone when The Indian Express visited on Thursday.

The clashes between the rally-goers and other groups had taken place around 2.30 pm Wednesday in Torbung, which is home to a mixed tribal and non-tribal population, which was followed by arson.

PTI quoted police saying that an armed mob allegedly attacked people of the Meitei community in Torbung, which led to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts.

Many houses in Torbung were razed to the ground during an arson attack by miscreants. Villagers who have fled their homes are taking shelter at a relief camp in Moirang Lamkhai and Kwakta. “It was complete pandemonium,” said Yumnam Bina, a Meitei resident in Torbung. “We were preparing for my niece’s wedding, waiting for the groom’s arrival… We heard that there was going to be some kind of rally or demonstrations but never imagined it would turn out this violent.”

Bina added that armed attackers came in “large numbers”. “They had guns, catapults, sticks, etc and started dismantling properties and setting houses on fire.”

Laishram Samala, another villager of Torbung, urged the Chief Minister to ensure their security. “How long can we live like this?” Samala asked.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Zoramthanga of neighbouring Mizoram — whose residents share ethnic ties with Kuki tribe (the tribes fall under the larger Zo umbrella) — rang his Manipur counterpart on Thursday, as he was “concerned about the safety and security of the ethnic Zo tribes – Zohnahthlak as a result of these unfortunate incidents”.

Boxing Olympian Mary Kom, who hails from Manipur, also sought help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. “My state Manipur is burning,” she said.