On the eve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah visit, major violence erupted in Manipur as militants launched coordinated attacks in eight locations. The Manipur Police commandos responded by eliminating 40 terrorists thus far.
In a significant crackdown, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh confirmed the successful operation by Manipur Police commandos. These commandos engaged insurgents for over eight hours in areas affected by ethnic violence. The armed terrorists, equipped with M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles, as well as sniper guns, deliberately targeted unarmed civilians and set ablaze numerous homes across multiple villages.
With the assistance of the army and other security forces, the state government swiftly took decisive action to counter these attempts at destabilizing Manipur. Simultaneous attacks were reported in Sekmai, Sugnu, Kumbi, Phayeng, and Serou, resulting in ongoing gunfights and unidentified bodies strewn throughout the streets.
At least 10 injured individuals were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for treatment. Chief Minister Singh vehemently condemned these planned attacks, particularly given Minister of State Nityanand Rai's presence on a peace mission.
Over 25 Kuki insurgent groups had previously agreed to a "suspension of operations" (SoO) agreement, confining themselves to designated government-supervised camps. However, these recent events have shaken the peace established under the agreement.
Both Home Minister Amit Shah and Army Chief General Manoj Pande are actively engaged in the situation. Home Minister Shah has urged both the Meiteis and Kukis communities to maintain peace and harmony and restore normalcy in the region. Shah will be visiting Manipur on Monday while the Army Chief is in Manipur already doing a field visit.
Since the clashes began on May 3, sparked by the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, the ongoing ethnic violence has tragically claimed over 70 lives.
