It’s been over three months since the dispute between the state’s Hindu Meitei community and the Christian Kuki-Zo community in Manipur, a northeastern state with a history of fights between the tribal groups. More than 150 deaths have been recorded due to the animosity between the tribals group. Death includes all the security forces and the people from either the community. The state has been witnessing long hours of curfew imposition and internet shutdown to prevent the spread of the tension.
The Hindu-majority Meitei community mostly live in the capital city of Manipur- Imphal and the prosperous valley around it. Meanwhile, the Christian community of Kuki-Zo lives in a scattered settlement in the state. The longstanding tension between the communities revolves around land settlement issues, public jobs and political leaders, exacerbating the tension and making it a political issue. In May, the leaders asked for Schedule Tribe status for the Meitei community, making them eligible for government public jobs. Fearing this entitlement, the Kuki-Zo community protested, spiraling into violence.
One more death has been reported today in the violence that broke out at Pallel in Tengnoupal district, Manipur. The 37-year-old man succumbed to his injuries during his treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences(RIMS) in Imphal. He died overnight while undergoing his treatment. The security forces initially used minimum force to disperse the mob, but later, the forces were forced to use tear gas shellings to contain the situation.