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IMPHAL: Ethnic clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities continue to flare up in the strife-torn Indian state of Manipur, the latest incident being the alleged murder of two teenagers.
The ethnic clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities in India’s Manipur have refused to die down, five months after clashes broke out incidences of terror, murder, and heinous crime continue to emerge between the two communities.
In the latest spur of events, images emerged on social media wherein two teenage Meitei children were killed by armed miscreants triggering fresh protests in the strife-torn valley. One of the two photos purportedly showed the students with two armed men and the other was of two bodies.
More than 180 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state on 3 May, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized to protest the majority Hindu Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40% and reside mostly in the hill districts.
In July two sets of parents were left seeking answers after their daughter, Luwangbi Linthoingambi Hijam, and the other’s son, Phijam Hemanjit Singh went missing. CCTV footage covered the duo’s last location but police remained unable to trace the teenagers.
According to Indian media reports, 17-year-old Luwangbi Linthoingambi Hijam had left home to attend classes for admission to pre-medical studies on July 6 morning when curfew was eased for some hours.
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The reported added Hijam was always dropped off and picked up from her coaching centre by her father. Only on 6 July, her father was unwell and could not perform the routine picking up. CCTV footage showed Luwangbi was seen riding a bike with her friend Phijam Hemanjit Singh.
The report added both took the main road connecting Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. The areas between these two districts saw fierce gunfights and killings in May and June.
While allegations of the two teenagers eloping made it to local news, the duo continued to remain missing for months. Manipur Police said the CCTV footage of shops along the road shows the teens going towards Nambol, 16 km from capital Imphal.
However, the phones of the two teens were switched off at places that were 18 km apart. The images that became viral on social media of the two teenagers are dated 8 July, two days after the duo went missing.
A Central Bureau of Investigation team, led by the agency’s Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, reached Imphal to investigate the alleged “kidnapping and killing” of two students
