Violence continues to plague Manipur as a teenager was fatally shot by unidentified assailants in the early hours of Friday in the Bishnupur district. According to a report by PTI, the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately in the Phoubakchao locality, and during the incident, a teenager seeking cover was struck by a bullet. In response, enraged locals, predominantly women, took to the streets in Moirang to express their anger over the incident. The ongoing ethnic violence in the state, which began on May 3, has resulted in over 100 fatalities and more than 3,000 injuries.
According to the PTI report, the first report of gunfire between two armed groups was received around 1:30 am from Awang Leikei and Kangwai in the Churandpur district near Phoubakchao. After a temporary lull, intermittent firing resumed around 11:30 am. Senior police officials are presently assessing the situation in Kangwai.
In a similar incident on Thursday, unidentified gunmen shot and killed a woman outside a school in the Imphal West district. Concurrently, sporadic gunfire was reported in the Kangpokpi district. The shooting occurred at Kwakeithel Mayai Koibi under the jurisdiction of the Lamphel police station, a day after classes for grades 1 to 8 resumed in the state following a two-month hiatus due to the violence.
On Wednesday, in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur, intermittent gunfire was heard in a village after security forces intervened to prevent clashes between armed individuals and villagers, as reported by PTI. The incident took place around 3:40 pm near Phaileng village.
In response to the escalating violence, a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organized in the hill districts to protest against the demand by the Meitei community for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The clashes ensued from these protests. Approximately 40,000 central security personnel, alongside the Manipur Police, have been deployed to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
The Meitei community constitutes approximately 53 per cent of Manipur's population and primarily resides in the Imphal Valley. The Tribal Nagas and Kukis account for around 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.