50 injured in Manipur clashes, firing, tense situation

way2barak, Sep 8 : Around 50 people including women were injured in different clashes and firing incidents at Pallel in restive Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on Friday, officials said.

Several media reports said that two people were killed in these clashes and firing incidents. However, the police are yet to confirm the casualties.

According to the police, among the injured, eleven civilians sustained serious and bullet wounds in the clash and firings between the rival armed groups and armed cadres and the security forces.

The injured were shifted to various hospitals.

Amidst the news of the firing spread in various social media, hundreds of men and women from Thoubal and Kakching districts rushed to Pallel but they were stopped by Assam Rifles personnel leading to the tense confrontation and stone pelting by the people.

Over 40 people, mostly women, were also injured after Assam Rifles lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob.

An Assam Rifles jawan also sustained minor injury.

A large contingent of Rapid Action Force personnel tried to move to Pallel from Imphal to control the mob but the protestors blockaded the roads at Thoubal leading to fresh confrontations.

More than ten people including women were injured in the clashes with the RAF personnel.

Though the firing has temporarily stopped in Tengnoupal district and other places just before the evening but situation is still tense.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community and the leading tribal organisation Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) accusing each other of attacks and arsoning of many houses.

Friday’s incidents took places two days after thousands of protesters gathered at Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district to break through army barricades in a bid to return to their houses in Torbung as they vacated their residences and took shelter in the relief camps after the violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.

In view of the incidents on Friday, curfew relaxation periods have been shortened till 12 noon in different districts.

Manipur police said in X : “There are posts on social media regarding exchange of fire between Kuki militants and Meetei village volunteers,which is not correct . It is clarified that the incident was related to firing between security forces and armed miscreants at Pallel.”

Meanwhile, a women’s organisation has called a statewide “Public Curfew” on Saturday and Sunday demanding restoration of peace in Manipur and replacement of Assam Rifles by any other Central para military forces.

Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi in an appeal requested the people and all organisations to maintain peace and normalcy and help the law enforcing agencies and the administrations to keep the normal situation and prevent all kinds of troubles.