Jiribam: At least five people were reportedly killed in Manipur’s Jiribam district, bordering Assam, on Saturday morning. This latest violence comes less than a day after an elderly man was killed in a suspected missile attack in Moirang, Bishnupur district, according to police.
Police stated that the casualties from the latest firing involve both warring communities.
The violence began when a man, living alone about five kilometers from the district headquarters, was shot dead in his sleep by armed militants. Following the killing, heavy gunfire erupted between armed groups from the two communities in the hills, approximately seven kilometers from the district headquarters. Four armed men, including three militants from the hills, were killed in the exchange.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) alleged in a statement that Meitei militants launched a coordinated attack on Kuki-Zo areas over the past two days to divert attention from leaked audio tapes implicating Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in the ethnic cleansing of Kuki-Zo tribals. The attacks coincided with rumors of Singh’s possible removal from office, the ITLF added.
The ITLF also claimed that a video showing cadres of the UNLF torturing a Kuki-Zo village volunteer had surfaced, alongside a photo of a UNLF cadre posing with the bodies of three Kuki-Zo village volunteers. The incident reportedly occurred in Nungsekpi, Jiribam, where UNLF militants killed four Kuki-Zo village volunteers.
The Forum further alleged that Meitei militants fired government-issued mortars from Langching toward Kuki-Zo villages in Sugnu, including Lailoiphai and G. Songgel. Evidence of the attacks has been submitted to Churachandpur Police for further investigation.
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Manipur has witnessed a renewed wave of violence since Sunday, with an increase in the use of crude bombs and drone-dropped explosives targeting civilians, heightening fear and insecurity among residents.
Amid the fresh tensions, the state government ordered the closure of all educational institutions on Saturday (September 7) to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
Also Read | Manipur govt orders school closure on Sept 7 amid fresh violence