Five people were killed in fresh violence that erupted in Manipur’s Jiribam district on Saturday morning, police said.
The violence began when one person was shot dead while sleeping, a police officer said, adding that tensions escalated, leading to a gunfight between armed men from two rival communities, resulting in four more deaths.
According to officials, militants broke into the home of a person living alone in an isolated area about 5 kilometres from the district headquarters and shot him dead in his sleep.
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After the killing, heavy gunfire broke out between armed men from the warring communities in the hills around 7 kilometres from the district headquarters, killing four armed individuals, including three militants based in the hills, the officer mentioned, PTI reported.
Earlier this week, the district saw new arson when suspected “village volunteers” set fire to an abandoned three-room house belonging to a retired police officer in Jakuradhor, Borobekra police station stated.
The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (Pherzawl and Jiribam) has denied any involvement in the incident.
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This outbreak of violence comes despite an agreement reached on August 1 between Meitei and Hmar representatives to restore peace and prevent further arson and firing. The meeting took place at a CRPF facility in Cachar, Assam, with oversight from the Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles, and CRPF personnel, along with representatives from Hmar, Meitei, Thadou, Paite, and Mizo communities.
However, some Hmar tribal groups from outside Jiribam have rejected the agreement, claiming they were unaware of it.
Since May of last year, ethnic clashes between the Meitei community in Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups in the hills have resulted in over 200 deaths and displaced thousands.
(With PTI Inputs)