Manipur unrest: 5 dead in Jiribam clashes, schools closed statewide

Five people were killed in fresh violence in Manipur's Jiribam district on Saturday morning, police said. One person was shot dead in his sleep while four others were killed in subsequent exchange of fire between armed men of two warring communities, a police officer said.

Militants entered the house of the person who lived alone in an isolated location around 5 km from the district headquarters and shot him dead in his sleep, he said.

After the killing, a heavy exchange of fire broke out between armed men of the warring communities in the hills around 7 km from the district headquarters, leading to the deaths of four armed persons, including three hills-based militants, the officer said.

Further details are awaited.

Earlier this week, fresh arson broke out in the district after suspected "village volunteers" burnt down an abandoned three-room house of a retired police officer at Jakuradhor in Borobekra police station said.

Tribal body Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (Pherzawl and Jiribam) denied any involvement in the incident.

The district witnessed fresh violence despite representatives of the Meitei and Hmar communities reaching an agreement to restore normalcy and "prevent incidents of arson and firing" in a meeting held at a CRPF facility in adjoining Assam's Cachar on 1 August.

In the meeting moderated by the Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel, and representatives of Hmar, Meitei, Thadou, Paite and Mizo communities of Jiribam district were also present.

The agreement was, however, denounced by several Hmar tribal bodies based outside Jiribam district saying they did not have any knowledge about it.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.

Ethnically-diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by ethnic violence in Imphal Valley and adjoining hills, erupted in violence after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was killed allegedly by militants of another community in June this year. Thousands had to leave their homes and relocate to relief camps due to incidents of arson by both sides. A CRPF jawan was also killed in an ambush by militants during patrolling by security forces in mid-July.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government on Friday announced the closure of schools on 7 September in view of unrest arising out of bomb attacks in Bishnupur district.

According to a notification issued by the directorate of education (schools), all schools in the state will remain closed on 7 September for safety of students and teachers.

"In view of unrest and the prevailing situation in the state and keeping in mind the safety of students and teachers, all government and private schools, central schools will stay closed on 7 September," the notification said.

An elderly man was killed and five others were injured after suspected militants launched the bomb attack on a residential area of Moirang in Bishnupur district on Friday afternoon, an official said.

The rocket, which fell on the compound of former chief minister Mairembam Koireng’s residence, seemed to be an improvised one. It was the second rocket that was fired in the district on Friday.

"The elderly man was preparing for some religious rituals in the compound when the bomb exploded. He died on the spot," the official added.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomeration of valley-based civil bodies, has declared a "public emergency" across the five districts of Imphal Valley with immediate effect.