The Manipur violence continues unabated for the past few days after a brief lull in the ethnic clashes that broke out in the state on May 3. In a fresh incident of violence, armed miscreants resorted to unprovoked firing from Kanto Sabal towards Chingmang village during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday (June 18-19) and injured an Indian Army jawan. Army columns resorted to controlled retaliatory fire keeping in view the presence of villagers in the area, said reports.
Additional columns inducted
One army soldier sustained gun shot wound, and was taken to the Military Hospital in Leimakhong. His condition is stable. Additional columns have been inducted in the area and joint operations are in progress, said Spear Corps, Indian Army.
Combing operations
Earlier, security forces on June 9-10 had conducted a joint combing operations and recovered 22 weapons. "Operations, in the presence of magistrates where applicable, continue across the state with due diligence to avoid unnecessary hardships for locals. 22 weapons, mostly automatics, were recovered in the past 24 hours," SpearCorps.IndianArmy had said in a tweet.
Manipur Tribal Forum request to SC
The Manipur Tribal Forum on June 15 had informed the Supreme Court that the Centre and State government's assurances to the apex court in the case concerning the recent outbreak of violence in Manipur are false and non-serious and it shall not rely on the "empty assurances" of governments, ANI reported. The application asked for the protection of the tribe by the Indian Army saying the state and its police force are "not trusted by the tribe."
Unabated violence
Manipur has been witness to ethnic violence with Chief Minister N Biren Singh stating earlier this month that around 60 people have lost their lives in the clashes. Houses have also been burnt during the violence and people living in relief camps too. The violence started in Manipur after a protest rally was organized in Churachandpur on May 3, 2023 which turned into clashes between Meitei and Kuki tribal groups.
