In a tragic incident in Manipur, a seven-year-old boy, his mother, and another woman were burnt alive inside an ambulance amidst ongoing ethnic violence. The violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities on May 3, and this horrifying incident occurred on June 4. The victims, identified as Tongsing Hangsing (7), Meena Hangsing, and Lydia Lourembam, were residents of Kangchup village in Kangpokpi district.
Ambulance attack and escape
Tongsing and his mother sustained bullet splinter injuries and required hospitalization. Taking shelter at an Assam Rifles' camp with their family, they were being transported to a hospital in an ambulance accompanied by the Imphal West SP, S Ibomcha. However, an angry mob from the Meitei community at Iroisemba, under Lamsang PS, stopped the ambulance. The mob set fire to the ambulance, tragically trapping the victims inside while the SP and security personnel managed to escape.
Earlier Incidents and Government Response
Prior to this incident, enraged villagers had set fire to an abandoned camp in Sugnu, Kakching district, where militants from the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) had taken shelter after signing a peace accord with the government. The villagers were expressing their anger after militants had burnt down numerous abandoned houses, including the residence of Sugnu Congress MLA K Ranjit at Serou.
As a result of the ongoing ethnic violence, the Manipur government has extended the ban on internet services until June 10. The government however, continues to maintain a deafening silence over the clashes and the chaos taking place in the state despite the loss of lives and property.
The violence, which began a month ago, has claimed the lives of 98 people, with 310 others injured. Approximately 37,450 people are currently residing in 272 relief camps.
Background and Deployment of Security Personnel
The clashes initially erupted on May 3 following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis constitute about 53% of Manipur's population and primarily reside in the Imphal Valley, while Nagas and Kukis, the tribal communities, make up around 40% and reside in the hill districts. In an effort to restore peace, around 10,000 Army and Assam Rifles personnel have been deployed in the state.
