Manipur violence: Govt issues shoot at sight orders in 'extreme cases'

A day after violence rocked Manipur, the state government on Thursday issued shoot-at-sight orders in 'extreme cases'. Clashes broke out on Wednesday between tribals and the majority Meitei community.

India Today reported that the Manipur Governor authorised all District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, and all Executive Magistrates/ Special Executive Magistrates concerned to issue shoot-at-sight orders in "extreme cases whereby forms of persuasion, warning, reasonable force, etc had been exhausted under the provisions of law under CrPC, 1973, and the situation can not be controlled" 

So far, forces have rescued 9,000 people from the violence-hit areas, and given shelter and more people are being shifted to safer places, according to news agency PTI. Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed to contain widespread rioting that broke out across Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community, displacing over 9,000 people. 

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

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and took stock of the situation. The Centre has dispatched teams of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) for deployment in violence-hit areas of the state. 

Some 5,000 people have been shifted to safe homes in Churachandpur, another 2,000 people were shifted in Imphal Valley, and 2,000 people in the border town of Moreh in Tenugopal district. 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 as per PTI. 

A 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the ten hill districts on Wednesday to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who account for 53 per cent of the state's population, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The march was organised by tribals after the Manipur High Court asked the state government last month to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Metei community. Tribals account for about 40 per cent of the state’s population. 

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. Many shops and houses were vandalised, and gutted in arson that lasted for more than three hours in Torbung. 

(With inputs from PTI)