An indefinite curfew was imposed in Jiribam and nearby Tamenglong district after protests erupted over the killing of 59-year-old Soibam Sarathkumar Singh at Jiribam.
Amid tension in Manipur's Jiribam district adjacent to Imphal, Assam, more than 70 houses of a particular community were burnt down while additional security forces, including Manipur police commandos, were deployed in the area, officials said on Saturday.
An indefinite curfew was imposed in Jiribam and nearby Tamenglong district after protests erupted over the killing of 59-year-old Soibam Sarathkumar Singh at Jiribam on Thursday night by suspected 'armed assailants'.
A police official in Imphal said on Saturday that 'armed assailants' allegedly torched certain community houses in Lamtai Khunou, Dibong Khunou, Nunkhal and Begra villages in Jiribam district. More than 200 people, mostly from the Meitei community, have taken shelter in the newly established relief camp following the outbreak of violence following the killing of Soibam Sarathkumar Singh, who belongs to the Meitei community.
𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐉𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐀𝐌?
Biren rushes Arambai & UNLF Meitei Militants to Jiribam in the same fashion he did with Moreh & disguised them as Meitei State Forces. Genocide of Kuki-Zo Tribal Christians in Manipur continues @UN pic.twitter.com/PvJfVsUUuK— Sᴀᴍᴜᴇʟ Kʜᴏɴɢsᴀɪ (@SamKhongsai_) June 8, 2024
A police officer said the situation turned tense after locals staged a huge protest after the victim's body was found with injuries and several cut marks on Thursday night.
Locals staged massive protests after some abandoned structures were set on fire. A section of protesters demanded the return of their licensed firearms to Jiribam. These weapons were deposited recently following the Lok Sabha elections. The police resorted to baton charge to disperse the crowd.
A joint control room comprising officers of Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Manipur Police has been set up for effective, smooth and speedy flow of communication to control the situation in Jiribam district and restore normalcy at the earliest.
A large contingent of security forces comprising state police and central forces has been deployed in Jiribam and nearby Tamenglong district. Bordering Assam, Jiribam is a mixed-population district inhabited by Meitis, Nagas, Kukis, Muslims and non-Manipuris, and the district has so far remained largely unaffected by the communal violence that ravaged Manipur since May 3 last year.
Ethnic conflict between Meitis and Kuki-Zomi in several districts of Manipur has so far left over 220 people dead in both communities. More than 1,500 people from both communities and more than 70,000 people have been displaced from their homes and villages in more than a year of ethnic violence.
Thousands of houses, government and non-government properties and religious structures were also damaged due to the riots.
