Manipur Violence: Death Toll Rises To 54, CM N Biren Singh Holds All-Party Meeting. Top Points

From the postponement of NEET-UG in Manipur to neighbouring states sending transportation means to rescue its citizens, here's what happened in the violence-torn state today.

People from Manipur protest the ongoing violence in Manipur at the Manipuri Rajbari in Guwahati. (Image used for representational purposes). ( Image Source :PTI )

The death toll in the ethnic violence that has engulfed Manipur has risen to 54, as life returned to wary normalcy in Imphal Valley on Saturday (May 6), with shops and markets reopening and cars plying the roads. According to a PTI report citing unofficial sources, the death toll is over a hundred and the number of injured is nearly 200. Kiren Rijuju, the central minister, has added his voice to calls for calm in the northeastern state, as well as for dialogue between ethnic communities. 

READ | Tripura Sends Special Team To Violence-Hit Manipur To Bring Back Its Students

From the postponement of NEET-UG in Manipur to neighbouring states sending transportation means to rescue its citizens, here's what happened in the violence-torn state today: 

• Manipur CM Chairs All-Party Meeting: Following the violence in the state, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh convened an all-party meeting. Political parties such as the Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI (M), Aam Aadmi Party, and Shiv Sena were present at the meeting, which was presided over by Biren Singh himself.
• It was also decided during the meeting to form a peace committee in each assembly constituency to ensure that peace initiatives are implemented at the grassroots level. The committee would work to identify and address the root causes of violence and conflict, as well as to encourage peaceful dialogue and cooperation among communities.
• NEET-UG Postponed, Fresh Date To Be Out Soon: The National Testing Agency announced Saturday that the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, which was scheduled for May 7, has been postponed in Manipur due to the state's law-and-order situation. The exam date for candidates whose testing location was in Manipur will be announced soon.
• Over 11K Manipuri People Enter Assam: Following the violence in the neighbouring state, more than 1,100 people from Manipur's Jiribam district and surrounding areas have crossed the inter-state border into Assam's Cachar district, news agency PTI reported citing officials. 
• Irom Sharmila Urges Citizens, PM Modi to Restore Peace: Irom Sharmila Chanu, a civil rights activist, urged Manipur's women, regardless of ethnicity, to work together to bring peace to the state. She also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to visit her home state to "understand and address the problem," PTI reported. 
• Asian C'ship silver medallist Manipur's Bindyarani Says 'Unable To Speak With Family': Bindyarani Devi, an Indian weightlifter, was in faraway Korea on Saturday, wondering if her silver-medal performance at the Asian Championship had reached her parents in violence-torn Manipur. More importantly, she was concerned about their safety because she hadn't been able to communicate with them for two days due to an internet outage caused by ethnic violence in her native state, which had rendered the people there incommunicado, PTI reported.
• Neighbouring States Send Transportation Means to Rescue Stranded Citizens: Nagaland, West Bengal, Tripura, and Telangana have sent transportation means to rescue their citizens from the state. 

READ | NEET UG 2023 Exam Postponed In Manipur, New Dates To Be Announced Later