In a significant step towards restoring peace in Manipur, representatives of the warring Meitei and Kuki communities met face-to-face for the first time since ethnic violence erupted nearly two years ago. The meeting, facilitated by the Union Home Ministry, aimed to enhance trust and cooperation between the communities and find a roadmap to restore normalcy in the state.
Post-mortem examination reports of 10 Kuki-Zo youths killed in an alleged gunfight with CRPF in Manipur have revealed that they sustained multiple fatal bullet injuries, with most of them fired from behind. The reports also noted that the youths were in camouflage and khaki dresses when they were brought for autopsy. The incident has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the ongoing ethnic violence in the state.
Imphal, capital of Manipur in northeast India, lies in a valley surrounded by seven pretty hills.
One person was shot dead in his sleep while four others were killed in subsequent exchange of fire between armed men of two warring communities, a police officer said.
More than 1,000 arms, including handguns, machine guns, grenades, mortars, and INSAS and AK-56 rifles, were surrendered by people in Manipur during a two-week amnesty period for voluntarily giving up looted and illegally held weapons. The surrender of arms comes as Manipur grapples with ethnic violence that has left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
The incident took place as several dozens of armed men opened indiscriminate fire on Koutruk village in the periphery of Imphal Valley from the adjoining hills in Kangpokpi district, a police officer said.
Fresh clashes broke out between people belonging to Zomi and Hmar tribes in Manipur's Churachandpur district, hours after a peace settlement was reached between the apex bodies of the two communities. The Zomi Students' Federation imposed a shutdown in the district after a group of men tried to take down a flag of a Zomi militant outfit. Several persons were injured in the clashes. Meanwhile, MLAs and tribal organisations appealed for peace, urging the administration to take necessary measures to restore law and order.
Captain Ashalata Devi will become the first Indian woman footballer to play 100 international matches when she takes the field in the SAFF Championship opening match against Pakistan in Kathmandu on Thursday.
Around 20 MLAs belonging to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur met in New Delhi on Tuesday for the first time since ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state 17 months ago, in a bid to hammer out a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict.
The Meitei group Arambai Tenggol surrendered 246 firearms to security forces in Manipur, bringing the total number of weapons surrendered to 307. The surrender follows a deadline set by Governor Ajay Bhalla for the return of illegal weapons. Arambai Tenggol's decision was influenced by assurances from the governor, including the eradication of opium poppy cultivation, implementation of border fencing, and a general amnesty for members of the group. Officials believe the surrender will contribute to restoring peace in the state, which has been rocked by ethnic violence for nearly two years. The police have urged others in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them before the deadline. Former Chief Minister N Biren Singh welcomed the surrender, calling it a "big step towards peace."
'Our gagged silence today portrays the silencing of justice, but our protest signify our love for India and justice.'
Rajpal Singh and Navdeep Singh scored a brace each to give Chandigarh Dynamos a thumping 6-1 win over Imphal Rangers in the Tier II match.
Gurcharan Singh scored three goals as Delhi Dazzlers outplayed Imphal Rangers 5-2 in the Tier II Premier Hockey League match.
The autopsy report of the 31-year-old tribal woman, who was killed in Manipur's violence-hit Jiribam district on November 7, revealed that she was subjected to third-degree torture and suffered 99 per cent burns.
A court in Imphal has ordered the release of social activist Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on a fast for more than 12 years to demand the repeal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur.First Class Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East, on Tuesday ordered the release of Irom Sharmila, who was arrested on charges of attempt to commit suicide.
The members were arrested on Monday for threatening people and obstructing the land demarcation process in Thoubal district.
At Thamnapokpi under Moirang constituency in Bishnupur district, armed men fired several rounds in the air near a polling booth prompting voters to flee, police said on Friday, adding additional security personnel were rushed to the spot to contain the situation.
'Today, both in the hills and valley there is radicalised militant activity which poses a direct national security threat.' 'This kind of militancy in Manipur is unprecedented, I have never seen such largescale militancy in my life.'
The agreement was reached between the warring sides at a meeting held at a CRPF facility in adjoining Assam's Cachar on Thursday. The meeting was moderated by Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel, officials said.
The militants fired indiscriminately from hilltop positions towards the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband killing the woman and injuring four others, including her eight-year-old daughter and a police officer.
'There are 7,000 guns which are in the hands of the armed militia of the Kuki and Meitei communities.'
Among the cities that have fully implemented their projects are Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat, and Vadodara
The police killed a former People's Liberation Army militant and arrested 10 others, belonging to different insurgent organisations, since Tuesday.
Drones are a new technology added recently to the weapons used in the violence between the two large ethnic groups -- Meitei and Kuki -- in the northeastern state, which left over 200 people dead since May last year.
A man, who was injured in the bomb blast in Imphal, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Monday, taking the death toll in the militant attack to two.
The statement assured that "security forces are on high alert to protect the lives and property of citizens. All communities are assured of their safety," and advised the public to "not believe in any rumors or unverified news."
The Arambai Tenggol has been a focal point of controversy, with Kuki representatives blaming the organisation for exacerbating violence.
Three persons including a child were injured when a powerful bomb exploded at a sports stadium complex in Imphal on Saturday, official sources said.
The Centre has rushed 20 additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies comprising about 2,000 personnel to Manipur in the wake of fresh attacks and law and order issues in the state, official sources said Wednesday.
One person was killed and another injured when suspected militants set off a bomb near Imphal College on the road leading to the airport, police sources in Imphal said.
Manipur minister Kashim Vashum said he and his family members were not at home when the grenade exploded.
This is the first known instance of drones being used to drop bombs on civilians by insurgents in India.
Students of the Ananda Singh Higher Secondary School in Imphal have nabbed a militant who was trying to extort money from their principal.
An abandoned house in Lalpani village was torched by armed men on Friday night, they said.
The Manipur land resources department has lodged an FIR against the Kuki National Front (Military Council), a militant organisation, for promoting enmity between different groups in the state.
A village volunteer was killed in a gunfight between two warring communities in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, officials said on Thursday.
The autopsy reports of three of the six persons killed in Manipur's Jiribam district by suspected Kuki militants revealed multiple bullet injuries and lacerations on various parts of their bodies, officials said on Sunday.
'We are not anti-national like these armed secessionists. We have no intention of breaking away from the Indian Union.'
