Fresh violence has erupted in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur as a mob attacked the Deputy commissioner’s office and the administrative headquarters in the town on Friday.
The mob has held the Superintendent of Police (SP) accountable for not fulfilling one of his key promises made to local leaders. The blank firing and the use of tear gas in the office against the mob infuriated them leading to the crowd engaging in stone pelting against the official resulting in the injury of SP.
Three days ago, a major confrontation was witnessed in Kangpokpi when women from the Kuki community protested against the deployment of security forces in the region. The groups of women obstructed the operations by joint security forces of the Border Security Force (BSF), Indian Army, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
This outbreak comes just days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh apologized for the ethnic violence occurring in the state since May 3, 2023, requesting people to ‘forgive and forget’ the past.
Manipur has been in a state of contention between the majority Meiteis and the Kukis since May 2023, due to disputes over quotas and economic benefits, resulting in the loss of 200 lives and the displacement of thousands.
