New Delhi: The violence in Manipur took a grim turn on Tuesday with the discovery of two Meitei men’s bodies in Jiribam, just a day after security forces engaged in a deadly gunfight with suspected militants. The incident, which left ten suspected militants dead, has further deepened the ethnic conflict that has gripped the region.
The violence unfolded in the Jakuradhor and Borobekra areas, close to the border with the Hmar-majority Pherzawl district. Also, three women and three children are missing following the attack.
A fierce gunfight erupted on Monday afternoon after suspected militants, believed to be from the Hmar community, targeted a CRPF post and the Borobekra police station. Local residents reported earlier attacks on homes and shops in Meitei settlements, escalating the tension.
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On Tuesday morning, police recovered the bodies of Laishram Barel Singh (63) and Maibam Keshwo Singh (71), both residing in a relief camp at the Borobekra police station. The two men, along with eight others, had disappeared after the Monday shooting, prompting a desperate search by the community.
The six missing people from the community remain unaccounted for, raising fears for their safety. The incident has also sparked concerns about the potential for further retaliation, with Hmar groups claiming those killed in the Monday gunfight were “village volunteers” acting in response to the killing of a Hmar woman in a separate attack on Thursday.
Operations are underway to trace three women and three children, who have been reported missing since the violence erupted in Jiribam on Monday, IGP (operations) I K Muivah said.
