Manipur violence: Govt issues 'shoot at sight' orders; 55 army columns deployed, RAF flown in

Imphal: Manipur government on Thursday issued 'shoot at sight' order in "extreme cases" to contain spiralling violence in the state between tribals and the majority Meitei community which has displaced over 9,000 people from their villages. Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles had to be deployed to contain widespread rioting that broke out across Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community, displacing over 9,000 people.

The Army also kept some 14 columns on standby for deployment in case the situation flared up once again, a defence spokesperson said.

The Centre, which is monitoring the situation in Manipur, also dispatched teams of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised force to handle riots, for deployment in violence-hit areas of the Northeastern state.


Sources said the force landed at Imphal airport this evening.

Clashes broke out on Wednesday which intensified overnight with counter-attacks being mounted by rival communities in retaliation to earlier attacks, after Naga and Kuki tribals organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest moves to give scheduled tribe status to the majority Metei community.

The 'shoot at sight' order issued Thursday by the Governor of the northeastern state said all magistrates could issue the order when persuasion, warning and reasonable force "have been exhausted and the situation could not be controlled".

The notification signed by the Commissioner (Home) of the state government was issued under provisions of the criminal procedure code 1973.

The army and Assam Rifles staged flag marches in Khuga, Tampa, Khomaujanbba areas of Churachandpur. Flag marches were also carried out in Mantripukhri, Lamphel, Koeirangi area of Imphal Valley, and Sugnu in Kakching district on Thursday, the defence spokesperson said.

Underlining the gravity of the violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and took stock of the situation in the state.

So far, 9,000 people were rescued by the forces from the violence-hit areas, and given shelter, the spokesperson said, adding that more people are being shifted to safer places.

The spokesperson said some 5,000 people have been shifted to safe homes in Churachandpur, another 2,000 people were evacuated in Imphal Valley, and 2,000 people in the border town of Moreh in Tenugopal.

The Army and Assam Rifles were requisitioned last night, and along with the state police, the forces arrested the violence by the morning, the spokesperson said. "Flag marches are being conducted to keep the situation under control," he said.

The 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the ten hill districts of the state on Wednesday to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who account for 53% of the state's population, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The march was organised by tribals who account for about 40% of the state's population after the HC asked the state last month to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Metei community.

During the march in Torbung area of Churachandpur district, an armed mob allegedly attacked people of the Meitei community, leading to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts, which escalated the violence throughout the state, according to police.