Manipur: Assam Rifles, Army work to restore peace in violence-hit areas, 13,000 rescued

The Indian Army, in joint operations with the Assam Rifles and Air Force and with the help of the civil administration, has worked tirelessly in the past two days to restore peace and revive normalcy in violence-hit Manipur, said an official on Friday. The situation in a few districts of Manipur deteriorated after clashes broke out between two communities. Given the tension surrounding the area, security officials were forced to rescue civilians from various violence-hit minority zones, the statement noted.

Notably, the Manipur government requested more army personnel and the deployment of Assam Rifles on May 3 and May 4 due to violent clashes that erupted in a few districts of Manipur, including Churachadpur, KPI, Moreh, and Kakching areas, which are under firm control with no reports of major violence since Friday night.

Army, Assam Rifles restore peace in violence-hit Manipur, locals thank forces for providing blanket security

In the last 12 hours, "Imphal East and West districts witnessed sporadic incidents of arson and attempts by miscreants to establish blockades, which were taken under control by security forces. To ensure locals feel secure, security officials have conducted proactive rescue operations, flag marches, area dominance, and interaction with locals and influencers," the statement by the official said, adding that nearly 13,000 civilians have been rescued and are currently staying in various ad-hoc boarding facilities created by company operating bases and military garrisons.

As the Indian Army and Assam Rifles continue their efforts to evacuate and provide assistance to affected people in violence-hit Manipur, locals praised the efforts of security forces and thanked them for providing a "security blanket". On Friday, a statement by the Indian Army said that the situation in Manipur has been brought under control through joint actions by all stakeholders.

"The situation has been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. The IAF undertook continuous sorties from two airfields in Assam employing C17 Globemaster and AN 32 aircraft," the Indian Army stated.

Manipur violence

Ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur over the last few days is not a sudden occurrence but rather a result of a long history of tensed relations between ethnic groups in the Imphal valley and its surrounding hills. However, the existing tension turned into a simmering conflict after the BJP-led Manipur government started a drive to evict tribal villagers from reserved forests. The violence took a brutal turn, involving tribal groups against the government's decision to grant the Meiteis community Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. On the other hand, the eviction drive, which started in February this year, also contributed to the current situation as it was viewed as an anti-tribal move, leading to discontent among the Kuki community.

The clashes initially broke out during Wednesday's solidarity march, called by the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur. Scheduled Tribe communities, mostly from the Kuki-Zomi tribal group, are protesting a move to grant a long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community, which makes up the majority of the state’s population. On April 19, the Manipur High Court directed the state government to submit its recommendation to include the Meitei community in the ST list to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry by May 29.

(With agency inputs)