The death toll in the ethnic violence that has engulfed Manipur increased to 54, officials said, as life returned to a wary normalcy in Imphal valley on Saturday with shops and markets reopening and cars plying on the roads.
However, unofficially, sources placed the death toll at over a hundred and the number of injured at nearly 200.
Central minister Kiren Rijuju added his voice to the appeals for calm in the northeastern state as well as a dialogue between ethnic communities “Many lives have been lost and there is damage to property. Whether Meiteis or Kukis both belong to the same state and need to live together ... Society can progress only when there is peace,” he said and called for a dialogue.
“The Centre and Home Minister steps are taking steps to end the violence. The Home Minister is continuously monitoring the situation in Manipur,” he said.
Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu Saturday appealed to Manipur's women, irrespective of their ethnic identity to act in concert to bring peace to the strife-torn state. She also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to visit her home state "to understand the problem" and "address them".
“Manipur is burning and I am deeply saddened seeing the sufferings of our people.I appeal to all, Meteis and tribals, to unite and end violence. Women must act like 'Mother Nature' and use their power to bring back peace.”
Meanwhile, Medical entrance exam NEET-UG scheduled on May 7 has been postponed in Manipur in view of the law-and-order situation there, the National Testing Agency announced on Saturday. The exam date for candidates whose test centre was in Manipur will be announced soon.
“On the request of the state government of Manipur and in the wake of the law and order situation, NEET (UG)-2023 has been postponed only for candidates who have exam centre in Manipur until further notice,” said Sadhna Parashar, Senior Director (Exams), NTA.
Security presence, which has been bolstered in Manipur by flying in more army troops and central police forces, was clearly visible at all major roads and areas.
Nearly 500 people, including students, were seen camping at Imphal airport trying to make getaway by air out of the strife torn state. More than 13,000 people have taken refuge in various shelters within the state set up by the army and state government as well as make-shift camps set up by ordinary people, while many others have fled to neighbouring states of Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Security forces have set up roadblocks and cordons in areas where various militant groups who seem to have joined the ethnic rioting, had engaged security forces in gunfire on Friday night.
Nearly 10,000 army, para-military and central police forces have been deployed in the state where rioting broke out after demonstrations were organized by tribals, including Kukis and Nagas, on Wednesday against a move to give the majority Meitei community, scheduled tribe status.
Meanwhile, an Assam Rifles column has been instructed to pick up all Naga students in Imphal from pick up points on Sunday for a trip back to Kohima.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said efforts are underway to evacuate people of the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur.
