Violence once again in Manipur, firing between 2 groups, one dead; 4 injured

A village volunteer was killed and four others were injured in an encounter between two armed groups in Manipur's Kangpokpi district.

The encounter started when armed criminals entered the hill village of Satang Kuki and attacked with guns and bombs. Police said the attackers retreated after reinforcements arrived in Satang village, following which the fighting stopped.

The injured have been admitted to a private hospital in Imphal. Hospital sources said that one of the injured had shrapnel wounds on his face and the other on his thigh. Sources said that after the security forces reached the area, both the rival armed groups retreated. A police officer said that one of the injured people was hit by a bomb fragment on his face while the other was injured in his thigh.

Two reasons are being given for the violence in Manipur. The first reason is to give Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community here. The Meitei community is in the majority category in Manipur, but they have been given the status of Scheduled Tribe which the people of Kuki and Naga communities are opposing. Kuki and Naga communities have had tribal status since independence. Now the Meitei community is also demanding this status, which is being opposed by the people of Kuki and Naga communities. Kuki and Naga communities say that Meitei community is a majority community, how can it be given this status.

On May 3, people of the Kuki community protested against the government's decision to grant status to the Meitei community. Violence started in this demonstration. On May 4, vehicles were set on fire at many places. The fight between the Meitei and Kuki communities started on the 4th itself. When the situation worsened on May 5, the army reached there. After this, more than 10 thousand people were shifted to other places. On the night of May 5 itself, Indian Revenue Service officer Mithang was murdered by a mob. They were murdered after being thrown out of their home.