Manipur remains volatile, five including cop killed in fresh violence ahead of Shah's visit

An uneasy calm prevailed in ethnic conflict-affected Manipur, a day after a sudden spurt in clashes and firing between militants and security forces, officials said on Monday.

The death toll from clashes a day before rose to five on Monday as three more people, who were undergoing treatment in hospitals, succumbed to their injuries, they said.

Army and paramilitary personnel continued combing operations in the Imphal valley and surrounding districts, an official said.

The Army operation is aimed at confiscating illegal caches of arms, he said.

The police on Sunday said that at least two persons were killed and 12 injured in different instances of firing upon civilians and clashes between militants and security forces.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had said nearly 40 armed militants involved in torching houses and firing at civilians have been killed by security forces since they began an operation to bring peace to the northeastern state beset by ethnic rioting.

The latest clashes began after the army and paramilitary forces commenced combing operations to de-arm communities in order to bring peace, officials said.

At Phayeng in Imphal West district, one person died on Sunday and another sustained bullet injuries after being fired at by suspected Kuki militants, the police officials said.

One cop killed, and another was injured

One policeman was killed and another injured at Sugnu in the firing. Six persons were also injured at Sugnu and another four at Serou.

The latest incidents of violence have also prompted district authorities to shorten the 11-hour curfew relaxation period in Imphal East and West districts to just six and half hours.

Ethnic clashes, which have claimed over 75 lives, first broke out in Manipur 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.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, besides those from other paramilitary forces, had to be deployed to bring back normalcy in the northeastern state. 

Amit Shah to visit the violence-hit state

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Monday travel to Manipur on a four-day visit during which he will hold several rounds of security meetings to assess the situation and plan steps to restore normalcy, sources said.

This is Shah's first visit to the northeastern state since the ethnic clashes broke out on May 3.

The home minister will be in the state from May 29 to June 1. He will arrive in Imphal this evening, the sources said.

Shah will hold several rounds of security meetings to assess the situation and plan further steps to restore normalcy, they said.

He is also expected to meet representatives from the civil society and various groups of the Meitei and the Kuki communities.

Addressing a programme in Assam recently, Shah said he would soon go to Manipur.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had said during a press conference in Imphal that Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur on May 29 to resolve the ongoing crisis.

The ethnic clashes that have claimed more than 75 lives in Manipur broke out 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 status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, leading to a series of smaller agitations.

Shah on May 15 directed strict action against the perpetrators of violence in Manipur and assured the state of complete support from the Centre in ensuring lasting peace.

The directives came after Shah held a series of meetings with Singh, representatives of the Meitei and the Kuki communities and other stakeholders in New Delhi to review the measures taken for restoring peace in the state.

As many as 10 tribal MLAs belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group in Manipur had demanded a separate administration for their region in the wake of recent violent clashes between the Meiteis and tribals.

Of the 10 legislators, seven belong to the BJP, two from the Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) and one an Independent. The two KPA and the Independent MLAs were also part of the NDA led by the saffron party.

However, the chief minister had already rejected the demand made by the 10 MLAs for a separate administration for the Kuki-dominated districts of the northeastern state, saying, "The territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected".