Curfew in Manipur following fresh violence after 4 civilians shot dead

Guwahati: Four civilians were killed by unidentified shooters on Monday night in Lilong, in the Thoubal district of the Imphal valley of Manipur. There were five other injured people. The majority population in Lilong is Meitei Pangal or Meitei Muslims.

Following the killings, the authorities in the Imphal Valley tightened curfew in Thoubal, Imphal East, and Imphal West districts and shortened relaxation in Kakching and Bishnupur districts. Senior law enforcement officials did not answer calls, but according to sources, the attackers—who have not yet been identified—swooped down on the scene donning camouflage dresses and started shooting randomly, the New Indian Express reported.

Four people were killed on the scene. The wounded were taken to a hospital immediately. After the attack, angry locals burned down a few cars that the attackers had apparently used to get to the location. When reports last came in, the atmosphere was really tense.

N Biren Singh, the chief minister, denounced the incident and pleaded for calm among the residents of Lilong and the surrounding valleys. “The police are working to arrest the perpetrators. They will be punished as per the law. I appeal to people, especially those from Lilong, to maintain calm and help the government hunt down the criminals,” Singh said in a video message with folded hands.

This is the first significant instance of Meitei Pangal killings since the ethnic violence between Kukis and Meiteis began on May 3 following a tribal solidarity march. Around 60,000 people were displaced and 200 people died as a result of the conflict.