Monday, 30 December, 2024
Police in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur arrested 23 individuals on Sunday following a day of violent protests that saw demonstrators ransacking and setting fire to the homes of lawmakers and ministers. The unrest, which marked the second day of widespread violence, erupted as hundreds of people took to the streets to protest recent killings, defying an ongoing curfew.
The situation remains tense, particularly in the state capital, Imphal, where the protests have caused significant disruption. "The situation is relatively calm today, but it remains unpredictable," a senior state police official told Reuters. The official added that the authorities are closely monitoring developments, with heightened security measures in place.
Protesters are demanding justice for those killed in recent violent incidents, further exacerbating the unrest that has gripped the region in recent months. Despite the curfew and the heightened police presence, many residents have continued to demonstrate, voicing their anger over the government’s handling of the situation.
The arrests followed Saturday's violence, which involved what a police statement said was the "ransacking and arson" of the houses of several state lawmakers and ministers.
"Police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Eight persons have been injured in the process," the statement said, adding additional security forces were deployed.
An indefinite curfew was imposed on Saturday and internet and mobile services were suspended after protesters tried to storm the residences of several lawmakers including state Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Protesters are demanding accountability for the deadly violence, that has, in the latest incident, claimed the lives of at least two women and two children.
Since May 2023, inter-communal clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have resulted in at least 250 deaths and displaced 60,000 people.
Early on Sunday, the body of a woman, believed to be a member of a missing Meitei family, was found in a river, while three other bodies, including two children, were recovered on Friday.
Identification is ongoing, but they are likely linked to the missing family, a district administration official from Jiribam told Reuters.
A Kuki man's body was also found in the area on Sunday though authorities have yet to confirm cause of death, but said it “could be linked to the violence”.
Tensions flared last week when a 31-year-old woman from the Kuki tribal community was burned alive. Kuki groups have blamed Meitei militants for the act.
Manipur has become divided into two ethnic enclaves: the Meitei controlled valley, and the Kuki-dominated hills, separated by a stretch of no-man's land monitored by federal forces.
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Police in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur arrested 23 individuals on Sunday following a day of violent protests that saw demonstrators ransacking and setting fire to the homes of lawmakers and ministers. The unrest, which marked the second day of widespread violence, erupted as hundreds of people took to the streets to protest recent killings, defying an ongoing curfew.
The situation remains tense, particularly in the state capital, Imphal, where the protests have caused significant disruption. "The situation is relatively calm today, but it remains unpredictable," a senior state police official told Reuters. The official added that the authorities are closely monitoring developments, with heightened security measures in place.
Protesters are demanding justice for those killed in recent violent incidents, further exacerbating the unrest that has gripped the region in recent months. Despite the curfew and the heightened police presence, many residents have continued to demonstrate, voicing their anger over the government’s handling of the situation.
The arrests followed Saturday's violence, which involved what a police statement said was the "ransacking and arson" of the houses of several state lawmakers and ministers.
"Police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Eight persons have been injured in the process," the statement said, adding additional security forces were deployed.
An indefinite curfew was imposed on Saturday and internet and mobile services were suspended after protesters tried to storm the residences of several lawmakers including state Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Protesters are demanding accountability for the deadly violence, that has, in the latest incident, claimed the lives of at least two women and two children.
Since May 2023, inter-communal clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have resulted in at least 250 deaths and displaced 60,000 people.
Early on Sunday, the body of a woman, believed to be a member of a missing Meitei family, was found in a river, while three other bodies, including two children, were recovered on Friday.
Identification is ongoing, but they are likely linked to the missing family, a district administration official from Jiribam told Reuters.
A Kuki man's body was also found in the area on Sunday though authorities have yet to confirm cause of death, but said it “could be linked to the violence”.
Tensions flared last week when a 31-year-old woman from the Kuki tribal community was burned alive. Kuki groups have blamed Meitei militants for the act.
Manipur has become divided into two ethnic enclaves: the Meitei controlled valley, and the Kuki-dominated hills, separated by a stretch of no-man's land monitored by federal forces.
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