Moreh continued to be under curfew for the third consecutive day, even as around 524 residents—69 Tamils, two Muslims and the rest Meitei—returned today from the Myanmar side of the border following reassurances from the State Government and security forces. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh rushed back to Imphal from New Delhi on a BSF flight on Sunday to take stock of the situation and hold meetings. Five Meitei labourers were gunned down and another hacked to death in retaliatory killings on Saturday after five Kukis were found shot dead on the same morning, leading to communal tension in the border town. According to reports, many Meitei families have taken refuge in shops and hotels in the heart of the town to escape possible ethnic violence. Residents have stopped people except out-of-town traders from leaving Moreh. Several vehicles trying to leave Moreh were stoned and prevented from proceeding to Imphal. Reports also added that several residences abandoned by Meiteis have been robbed of electronic items like TV sets, while livestock have either been stolen or mutilated by suspected Kuki militants. Speaking to the media in Moreh, Manipur DGP Y Joykumar admitted security lapses, while adding that the situation was yet to return to normal. Joykumar, along with IGP Dinokumar Singh and other senior police officers have been camping in Moreh to monitor the situation. Two meetings held by the DGP with various communities in Moreh on Sunday came to naught, as the Meitei Council, Moreh stayed away from the meeting. In Imphal, civil organisations like the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) appealed to both Meiteis and Kukis to "forgive and forget". In a statement, AMUCO said that when a small state is home to 36 ethnic groups, misunderstandings would naturally arise from time to time, and it is in the best interests of all communities to stop this incident from ballooning out of proportion.
