The fragile situation in Manipur continued to spiral on Sunday morning as another body, suspected to be one of six missing individuals from the state’s Jiribam district, was recovered from the Barak River in Assam’s Cachar district. This grim discovery comes just two days after the bodies of a woman and two children were found floating in the same river.
The latest body, recovered further downstream, has yet to be identified. However, authorities suspect it may belong to one of the six members of a Meitei family who went missing last Monday. The family, comprising three women and three children, had been living in a relief camp at the Borobekra police station after violence erupted in Jiribam in June.
Tensions in Jiribam flared up again on Sunday morning after a photograph of the body was widely circulated on social media, leading to reports of arson attempts in the Kalinagar area. In response, authorities swiftly suspended internet services in Jiribam and neighboring Pherzawl districts to curb further unrest.
Violence and Arson in Jiribam
On Saturday night, tensions escalated when the vacated homes of several Hmar families, along with at least four churches, were targeted with vandalism and arson. These attacks are believed to be linked to allegations from Meitei groups, who claim that armed Hmar men abducted the missing family during an attack in Borobekra last week.
Earlier in the week, security forces had responded to violence in the relief camp by killing 10 armed individuals allegedly involved in the attack. Additionally, the bodies of two elderly Meitei men, also residents of the relief camp, were discovered nearby, further deepening the communal divide.
Protests Rock Imphal
The unrest in Jiribam reverberated across the state, sparking massive protests in Manipur’s capital, Imphal, on Saturday. The demonstrations quickly escalated, prompting the imposition of an indefinite curfew. Protesters targeted and set fire to vehicles and properties, including the homes of several BJP leaders.
One of the most alarming incidents occurred late Saturday night when a mob attempted to storm Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s private residence in Heingang. Although the Chief Minister was not present at the time, security forces had to use blank fire and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The highway leading to his residence was littered with burning tyres, underscoring the volatile nature of the protests.
Internet Services Suspended Across Seven Districts
To prevent further escalation, the government suspended internet services in seven districts, including the Meitei-dominated Imphal East and West districts, as well as the Kuki-Zo majority districts of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur. This decision, aimed at curbing the spread of inflammatory content and misinformation, reflects the growing challenges authorities face in restoring order.
The disappearance and suspected killings of the six family members have become a flashpoint in Manipur’s ongoing communal conflict. The Meitei community alleges that the abductions were carried out by armed Hmar militants, intensifying ethnic tensions in the state. Meanwhile, both communities continue to suffer as violence, displacement, and loss of life persist.
As Manipur grapples with this crisis, the recovery of yet another body adds to the mounting toll of this conflict, highlighting the urgent need for reconciliation and effective intervention to restore peace.