June 10, 2024, Manipur - In a concerning escalation of violence in Manipur, armed militants targeted the convoy of Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday, resulting in the injury of a security personnel. The ambush took place at approximately 10:30 am along National Highway-37 in Kangpokpi district while the convoy was en route from Imphal to Jiribam district.
Sources from the Chief Minister's office revealed that the purpose of the visit was to address ongoing unrest in Jiribam, which has been in turmoil since the brutal killing of a 59-year-old farmer, Soibam Saratkumar Singh, on June 6. Singh, a member of the Meitei community, went missing on his way back from his farm, and his body, found later, bore wounds inflicted by sharp objects.
This incident has further strained ethnic tensions in Manipur, leading to the evacuation of over 239 Meitei individuals, mostly women and children, from the outskirts of Jiribam to a newly established relief camp within the district. In response, prohibitory orders have been imposed in Jiribam as locals expressed their outrage by setting abandoned structures on fire to protest the farmer's killing.
The unrest has also sparked demands from locals for the return of licensed firearms confiscated during elections, leading to protests outside the Jiribam Police Station. Previously unaffected by ethnic strife, Jiribam, a district home to diverse communities including Meiteis, Muslims, Nagas, Kukis, and non-Manipuris, now finds itself caught in the conflict between Imphal valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kukis. This conflict has already claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands.
The attack on the Chief Minister's convoy highlights the fragile situation in Manipur, prompting authorities to enforce heightened security measures as they work to restore peace and stability in the region.