One person died in fresh ethnic violence erupting in Manipur Churachandpur district Tuesday night, and an indefinite shutdown was declared; the bodies of the dead were found in Ratjabuet, Churachandpur, around 11:15 pm. During a violent clash between the Hmar and Zomi communities, the victim, Lalropui Pakhumate, aged 53, was shot dead. However, this led to tensions between the Hmar community and a Zomi group which hoisted the flag of their community and the police reports say members of the Zomi community had opposed it, demanding that no one hoist the flag. This incident occurred a day after an alleged attack on the Hmar organisation by the Zomi group that has rekindled the old mistrust between the two groups.
In response, the Zomi Students‘ Federation Wednesday asked for the suspension of all activities in Churachandpur. The schools, colleges, shops and business establishments, including offices, are closed till peace and normalcy prevail in the Kuki Zo-dominated district.
Since May, ethnic violence has hit Manipur, with clashes between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities causing more than 250 deaths and displacing some 60,000 persons. Soon after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned, the union government had to impose president’s rule in Manipur last month, making the situation so bad.
Tensions are eased further on Monday when district administration attempt to sit down with community leaders and settle disputes according to local customary laws. After the meeting, however, a shutdown imposed by the Zomi community was lifted, and curfew orders were imposed in an attempt to parry a potential uprising in the district.
Later on Tuesday evening at 7 pm, violence broke out once again when Pakhumate was shot. The man was rushed to Seilmat Christian Hospital and declared dead there. Mobs had to be dispersed with tear gas, and the authorities had to fire over the heads of mobs to disperse them, while militants were said to have fired shots under the cover of darkness.
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