258 dead in Manipur violence since May 2023: Govt official

The ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has claimed 258 lives since May last year, the state government's Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh said on Friday.

IMAGE: Paramilitary personnel fire tear shell gases on students staging a protest in Imphal. Photograph: ANI Photo

He said that the state would get around 90 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), over and above the 198 companies that are already in Manipur.

"The total number of deaths is 258 including militants," Singh while addressing a press conference after holding a security review meeting in Imphal.

The security advisor said that 32 people were arrested in connection with vandalism and torching of properties of ministers and MLAs while around 3,000 looted weapons have been recovered.

"We are getting approximately 90 companies of CAPF, over and above the 198 companies which were earlier sent to the state. A sizeable number of them have already reached Imphal. We are distributing forces to protect the lives and properties of the citizens and vulnerable points," Singh said.

The authorities would set up coordination cells and joint control rooms in each district, he said after the meeting which was attended by representatives of the Army, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Assam Rifles, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Manipur Police.

"A number of SOPs (standard operating procedure) have been prepared for deployment of forces for coordination, for functioning, for fringe area security, for national highways security, and for any other important points which have to be taken care of," Singh said.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh would be briefed about the outcome of the meeting as is done in all similar cases, he said.

He said that nine bodies, including those of the victims including those of the six abducted and killed in Jiribam, were buried peacefully under tight security.

The bodies include three women and three children, who were allegedly abducted from a relief camp on November 11 by Kuki-Zo militants from Jiribam's Borobekra area when a group of Kuki youths were engaged in an encounter with CRPF in which 10 of them were killed.

"The CRPF post was attacked during which 10 militants were neutralised. Soon after that, it came to light that three women and three children were abducted," Singh said.

It will be found out whether the abduction happened in presence of the security forces, he said.

No information is available if the militants involved in the abduction belonged to Suspension of Operations (SoO) groups but it will be checked, Singh said adding that NIA is looking into the cases.

The SoO pact was signed by the Centre, the Manipur government and two conglomerates of Kuki militant outfits Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF). The pact was signed in 2008 and extended periodically thereafter.

The violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups, besides inflicting heavy casualties, rendered thousands of people homeless since May last year.

It started after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.