Tension Persists in Manipur as Curfew Violations Continue Amid Protests

Protests have erupted in Manipur following the murder of a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl who had gone missing two months ago. Hundreds of protesters defied prohibitory orders and attempted to surround the ancestral home of Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Imphal. Security forces intervened to control the situation as tensions escalated over the killings of the two Meitei students.

Approximately 500 people tried to approach Singh's residence in Heingang but were stopped by security forces, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Electricity in the vicinity was also cut off to prevent further gatherings near the Chief Minister's house. Manipur Police clarified that reports of Singh's residence being mobbed were false, emphasizing that adequate security measures were in place.

The unrest in Manipur stems from the murder of the two students, whose images, both before and after their deaths, circulated on social media earlier this week. The 20-year-old man and 17-year-old girl, residents of Imphal, were last seen together on July 6.

An initial police investigation suggested that they might have entered an area predominantly inhabited by the Kuki community while attempting to flee, after which they were allegedly abducted and killed. Notably, a new SIM card was activated on the man's mobile phone in Lamdan, a Kuki-dominated area, the day after their disappearance.

The incident has reignited tensions between the majority Meitei community, residing mainly in Imphal Valley, and the tribal Kuki ethnic groups. The violence, which began on May 3, has resulted in more than 180 casualties and forced over 50,000 people to flee their homes in Manipur. While the Meitei community constitutes over half of the state's population, the Kuki community, making up about 43%, predominantly resides in the hills.

Also Read: Manipur Govt Reacts to Online Images of Missing Students’ Bodies

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