Churachandpur: The seven-month-old violence in Manipur took a new turn after the Kuki and Zomi clans clashed in Churachandpur district, injuring many people.
To prevent any further escalation in violence, state authorities cut mobile data access in the entire district for five days and imposed Section 144 for two months.
The conflict reportedly arose due to the raising of the Zomi flag and display of Zogam (Zoland) graphic near a memorial stone in Thingkangphai, a Kuki village amidst the Zo population.
Eyewitnesses reported a scuffle involving 50-60 individuals from both sides, escalating as more members joined in.
Thankfully, the intervention of the district police and the CRPF’s Quick Response Team ensured that the crowd was dispersed and order was restored.
Locals pointed out that communal tensions had been brewing between the Kuki-Zo groups, triggered by disagreements over naming the burial site of those killed in clashes that began on May 3.
To prevent further escalation, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders, restricting assembly and the carrying of weapons.
Additional confrontations between Kukis and Zo occurred at Selmat bridge, resulting in injuries to 22 individuals, some sustaining minor head injuries.
The Superintendent of Police (Churachandpur) called for a meeting of community leaders to address the escalating tensions.
Meanwhile, law enforcement remains vigilant with police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in critical areas to maintain control and prevent further strife.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), spearheading the demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo, in its presidential meeting resolved the impasse by unanimously deciding to name the burial site as ‘Kuki-Zo Martyrs Cemetery’ ending the tension between the Kuki-Zo for now.
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