Shillong, July 3: Tragic events unfolded in Khoijumantabi village, located in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, as at least three individuals lost their lives in a recent outbreak of violence. The victims, serving as “village volunteers,” were guarding the area from a makeshift bunker when they were fatally shot during an exchange of fire with unidentified gunmen.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday night, also resulted in injuries to five others. The police have reported that a couple of the injured individuals are in critical condition and have been transferred to a hospital in Imphal for treatment.
In a separate development, the United Peoples’ Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), two umbrella organizations representing the Kuki community, have lifted the roadblocks in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district along National Highway 2. This decision comes in response to an appeal made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a joint statement, the Kuki organizations stated that the blockade on the highway has been immediately lifted. They acknowledged the home minister’s “deep concern to restore peace and harmony” in the state as the motivating factor behind their decision.
Manipur is connected by two national highways, NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam). Since the outbreak of violence in May, Kuki organizations had been blocking NH-2. The region has experienced a series of ethnic clashes following the initial eruption of violence triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized on May 3 to protest the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Meitei community.