Civil society groups in Manipur have given the state government a 24-hour ultimatum, calling for strong action against armed militant groups. The demand comes after fresh unrest in the state on Saturday evening, when a mob attempted to breach the residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, reports NDTV.
Security forces used tear gas to disperse a mob that had gathered in protest following the discovery of six missing bodies in Jiribam district. Among the deceased were an infant and two women, further escalating public anger over the government's alleged inaction and lack of communication.
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The bodies, including that of an eight-month-old child, were recovered from the Barak River in Jiribam. The individuals had been missing since Monday, after violent clashes in which 10 armed Kuki men were killed in a gunfight with security forces.
"All the representatives of the states and all the MLAs should sit together and take some decisive action to resolve this crisis as soon as possible," said Khuraijam Athouba, spokesperson of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei civil rights group. "If they don't take any decision up to the satisfaction of the people of Manipur, then they will bear the brunt of the people's discontentment. We have set a 24-hour ultimatum for the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to take some decisive action and military crackdown against all armed groups."
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The ongoing clashes between the Meitei community and the Kukis, a group of nearly two dozen tribes, have resulted in over 220 deaths and displaced nearly 50,000 people in Manipur. The Meiteis, seeking inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category, are in conflict with the Kukis, who are pushing for a separate administration within the state.