Manipur's Tribal Leaders Forum Declares "Emergency Shutdown" After Clashes

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum ( ITLF) - a joint body of the Kuki-Zo tribes, today declared an 'Emergency Shutdown' in violence-hit Manipur's Churachandpur district after several Kuki-Zo-dominated areas of Manipur came under attack.

The ITLF said, "Areas like Lonphai, Khousabung, Kangvai and Sugnu areas are under attack. ITLF calls for an Emergency Shutdown with immediate effect. Emergency services like medical, police, water, electricity, and press will be exempted."

The "emergency shutdown" came hours after seven people died in fresh violence in the Churachandpur district.

Heavy exchange of fire continued for the past three days in the border areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts after a period of calm for a fortnight.

Several people have died in the last three days, and over a dozen people from both the Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribe have suffered bullet and splinter injuries.

Security forces in violence-hit Manipur are being rushed to the Naranseina Maning Leikai area, which is now the epicentre of the new flare-up.

Two people suffered severe bomb splinter injuries after a firing that happened yesterday, sources said.

One person reportedly died while he was being shifted to Guwahati via Mizoram. Another person died during treatment at a hospital in the Churachandpur district.

Heavy gunbattle started again this morning at Khoirentak, Chingphei, and Khousabung foothill areas, sources said

The fresh exchange of fire comes at a time when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation into 27 First Information Reports (FIRs), which were registered by the state police in connection with ethnic clashes in Manipur during which over 160 people have reportedly died, sources in the agency said.

The cases handed over to CBI include 19 cases of crime against women.

In a combined operation undertaken by the security forces, at least five looted sophisticated arms were recovered along with ammunition of 31 types.

Nineteen powerful bombs and three packs of explosives were recovered from the Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts yesterday.