Manipur violence: SC seeks updated status report from the state govt

The Supreme Court on Monday called for an updated status report from the Manipur government after its claim that the situation was improving in the north-eastern state after clashes broke out between the Kuki and Meitei communities.

A bench, led by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, was hearing the application filed by NGO Manipur Tribunal Forum seeking deployment of the army in tribal areas to control the conflict.

“The situation is improving but slowly. CAPF companies have been deployed. The curfew has been reduced to 5 hours. There is an improvement," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state government, informed the court.

On the contrary, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued that several militant group leaders were openly threatening to annihilate the Kukis.

He said that on Sunday night, three Kukis were killed, including one being beheaded.

The SG opposed Gonsalves’s claims and said that “communal angle" should not be given, adding that "real human beings are being dealt with”.

“We will look at the report now. We will take this up on Monday,” said the top court while adjourning the matter for July 10.

It directed the state government to include details like rehabilitation camps, law and order situation, and recovery of arms in its status report.

Ethnic violence was triggered between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the northeastern state in wake of the Manipur High Court asking the state government to include the majority Meitei community under the ST category.