Hundreds of women on Friday gathered at Nupi Lal Complex, some 100 metres from Manipur chief minister’s secretariat and Raj Bhavan, urging CM N Biren Singh not to resign in the wake of the violence that has hit the state for nearly two months now. There were strong rumours in Imphal that CM Biren was contemplating resigning from the post, especially after renewed violence in the state on Thursday in which three more people died and 5 people were left injured, news agency PTI reported citing sources.


“At this critical juncture, the Biren Singh government should stand firm and crack down on troublemakers,”  Kshetrimayum Shanti, a women leader said, as quoted by PTI. The toll in exchange of fire between security forces and suspected rioters in Kangpokpi district a day before, rose to three on Friday, with one more person succumbing to injuries in hospital, officials said.


Earlier on Thursday, armed rioters had opened unprovoked firing at Haraothel village. The Army said security forces personnel "responded in a calibrated manner" to tackle the situation, they said. Members of the community to which two of the rioters belonged collected their bodies on Thursday and took out a procession to the CM’s residence here, they said, as reported by PTI.


The women-led demonstrators dared police to arrest them, and were also seen burning tyres in the middle of the road to prevent police movement, the officials said. According to PTI, as security personnel stopped them from marching to Singh’s residence, the processionists turned violent, prompting police to use tear gas shells and resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob.


More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. 


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