Manipur news: 1 shot dead in sleep, 4 killed in fire exchange in Jiribam; fresh clashes erupt

Manipur news: Fresh violence erupted in the state on Saturday, killing five people in the Jiribam district, stated police officials.

One person was shot dead in his sleep while four armed persons were killed in a subsequent exchange of fire, a police officer said, reported the PTI.

According to the report, militants entered the house of the person who lived alone in an isolated location around five kilo meters away from the district headquarters, and shot him dead in his sleep.

Following the killing, a heavy exchange of fire broke out between armed men of the warring communities in the hills around seven kilo meters away from the district headquarters. The firing led to the deaths of four armed persons, including three hills-based militants, further added the officer, reported PTI.

Violence due to ethnic strife returned to Manipur, following a brief pause after the clashes broke out in May 2023. Earlier this week, the district experienced fresh arson when suspected "village volunteers" burned down an abandoned three-room house of a retired police officer in Jakuradhor, Borobekra police station area.

The PTI report further stated that Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (Pherzawl and Jiribam) has denied any involvement in the incident.

Hmar and Meitei agreement

The fresh clashes come despite an agreement between Meitei and Hmar communities to restore normalcy and 'prevent incidents of arson and firing'. The meeting which took place on August 1, 2024 at a CRPF facility in Assam's Cachar district, was facilitated by the Jiribam district administration. Assam Rifles, CRPF personnel, and other local tribal groups, also attended the meeting.

The agreement, however, has been criticized by some Hmar tribal groups outside Jiribam district. They claimed that they were not informed about the negotiations.

Since May 2023, ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the hill-based Kuki-Zo groups has resulted in over 200 deaths, displacing thousands.

Although Jiribam had largely remained unaffected, violence erupted in 2024 after a 59-year-old man from one community was allegedly killed by militants of another community in June.

Thousands had to leave their homes and relocate to relief camps due to incidents of arson by both sides. A CRPF jawan was also killed in an ambush by militants during patrolling by security forces in mid-July, stated PTI reports.

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