Amid ongoing ethnic clashes in the state, a woman was allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a school Manipur’s Imphal West on Thursday.
The incident, which took place outside Shishu Nishtha Niketan school, has sparked panic in the area, where schools reopened a day ago. The woman has not been identified yet, the police said, PTI reported.
The incident came a day after security forces disrupted a confrontation in the Kangpokpi district between two armed groups from the Mapao and Awang Sekmai regions.
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In a separate incident, the house of an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel was set ablaze by a mob in the Thoubal district, following his successful efforts in preventing rioters from looting firearms from a police armoury.
The IRB personnel, part of a unit safeguarding the armoury, became a target after he halted a riotous crowd from storming the 3rd IRB camp at Wangbal.
The deadly confrontation led to the death of a 27-year-old man, Ronaldo, who was critically injured and later died while being taken to a hospital in Imphal. An additional 10 people suffered injuries during the clash, with six in serious condition receiving treatment at a hospital.
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Internet ban in Manipur extended
With no signs of violence dying down, the Manipur government on Wednesday said it has extended the suspension of internet services in the state for another five days till 3 pm of July 10 “to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order.”
The authorities banned internet services across the northeastern state for the first time on May 3 when clashes between ethnic communities began. Since then, the ban has been extended from time to time.
Manipur violence
The violence first broke out in the state after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. So far, more than 100 people have died and several hundred injured, besides thousands taking shelter in relief camps.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
(With PTI inputs)