In a fresh incident of ongoing violence in Manipur, Woman from the Meitei community was killed in Bishnupur district’s Saiton area on Saturday. She was shot dead while working in a paddy field by suspected Kuki militants. The woman, who is survived by her husband and three children, died on the spot.
Back-To-Back Incidents
Earlier on Thursday night in Jiribam district, a 31-year-old woman from the Hmar tribe, identified as Zosangkim, was allegedly shot, raped, and set on fire by suspected Meitei insurgents.
According to a police complaint filed by her husband, the attack took place while she and her three children were at home.
The assailants reportedly fired indiscriminately, leaving the woman unable to escape after being shot in the leg.
The civil society organization Hmar Inpui condemned the attack, describing it as an act of barbarity.
Ongoing Violence In Manipur
Local authorities have confirmed that several houses in the predominantly Kuki village of Zairon were also set ablaze during the attack. Jiribam’s Superintendent of Police, Kh Robinsun Singh, has requested permission to conduct an autopsy with video recording at Silchar Medical College in neighboring Assam, citing the lack of forensic facilities in the district and the challenges posed by ongoing ethnic tensions in transporting the body to Imphal.
Manipur has been experiencing violence, which has been marred by ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities for over 17 months. The conflict, which began in May 2023, has so far resulted in at least 237 deaths and the displacement of over 65,000 people. The violence is rooted in long-standing issues related to land rights, political representation, and ethnic identity, with both communities accusing each other of targeting civilians.
Protest Erupted
Protests erupted in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts, where demonstrators condemned the killing of Zosangkim and the destruction of homes in Jiribam.
Meanwhile, Meitei civil society groups in the Imphal Valley have mobilized to protest the killing of the woman farmer in Bishnupur, accusing Kuki militants of targeting innocent civilians.
ALSO READ: Violence Erupts Again In Manipur: Homes Burned, Woman Shot And Teacher Allegedly Set On Fire
