Additional security forces were deployed on Wednesday in Bishnupur district, Manipur, following gunfire near the Torbung–Phougakchao Ikhai belt on Tuesday night, an area previously affected by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3, 2023. Despite no injuries reported, the situation remains tense as investigations proceed without arrests.
The firing led to the re-displacement of several internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly women and children, who had only recently returned home. This incident occurred shortly after a security meeting led by Director General of Police Rajiv Singh in Churachandpur district.
The Kuki-Zo Council condemned the firing, linking it to prior violence in the region and criticized the Deputy Commissioner’s decision to facilitate the resettlement of Meitei IDPs in the historically volatile Torbung buffer zone, deeming it provocative. They emphasized that recent tensions should not be attributed to the Kuki-Zo community, which they assert has acted with restraint.
The Kuki-Zo Council further called for the recognition of the political nature of the Manipur crisis, advocating for a separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo people as a solution to the ongoing conflict.
