Hours after a planned mass burial of Kuki-Zo community people killed in the ethnic-strife was stalled, 17 people were injured in clashes as the Army and RAF personnel fired tear gas shells at Kangvai and Phougakchao area in Bishnupur district on Thursday, officials said.
The district magistrates of Imphal East and West have also withdrawn curfew relaxations earlier announced, reimposing the restrictions during the day, on top of night curfew throughout the Imphal valley.
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Tension had been brewing since morning in Bishnupur district as thousands of locals came out on the streets to block the movement of security forces.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) has agreed to conditionally postpone the burial for five days after requests from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga.
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A group of Locals led by women protestors tried to pass the barricade put up by the Army and RAF personnel, demanding that they be allowed to go to Tuibuong, the burial site.
Earlier this week, a mob set fire to two houses that were abandoned in Manipur’s Imphal West district. The incident took place in the Langol area.
The north-eastern state has been witnessing violent ethnic clashes since May 4, after a ‘tribal protest march’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
(With PTI Inputs)