One person was killed, and another sustained injuries on Sunday as protests and violence continued in Manipur’s valley areas. Security forces opened fire in Jiribam district to disperse the crowd, killing a 20-year-old man identified as K Athouba. The incident occurred around 11 pm at Babupara.
A mob ransacked and set fire to furniture and other property taken from the local offices of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in the same area. The violence took place within 500 meters of the Jiribam police station.
Tensions in the district have been high, with security forces deployed to manage unrest.
The injured person was shifted to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. However, his condition has not been disclosed yet.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hold a detailed meeting with officials today to discuss the situation in Manipur.
Senior officials from the Northeast Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Home Secretary, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and officers from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles will be present in the meeting.
This comes after a curfew was imposed in Imphal West and East, and internet services were suspended in 7 districts amid a fresh spate of violence that erupted in the valley districts in view of the killing of six people.
In the wake of the devolving crisis, the National People’s Party (NPP) withdrew its support for the BJP-led Manipur government, blaming them for not being able to find a solution to the ongoing crisis in the state.
NPP national president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma wrote a letter to BJP chief JP Nadda on Sunday, expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The letter highlighted that the situation has further devolved, leading to the deaths of innocent civilians.
“We strongly feel that the Manipur State Government, under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh, has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy. Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People’s Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh-led government in the state of Manipur, with immediate effect,” the letter reads.
In the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly. The National People's Party (NPP) secured 7 seats, while the Congress managed 5. Other parties and independent candidates accounted for 21 seats. However, with the NPP out of the equation, the BJP's figure in the state assembly has dropped, signalling the depleting influence of the party.
On Sunday, the Manipur Police said that it had arrested 23 people in connection with a mob attack "ransacking and setting the houses on fire." The police have seized one.32 pistol, seven rounds of SBBL (Single Barrel Breech Loading), and eight mobile phones from their possession, news agency ANI reported.
