More violence in Manipur as tribal bodies condemn CRPF actions
Two found dead, six including three women and three children missing
New Delhi: The discovery of two elderly men’s bodies in Manipur’s Jiribam district has intensified tensions after a deadly encounter between Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and what tribal leaders claim were local Hmar village volunteers, not militants as claimed by police.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the victims, identified as Laishram Balen and Maibam Kesho, were found on Tuesday amid debris in the Jakuradhor Karong area, following a violent exchange on Monday that reportedly left 10 villagers dead. Six people, including three women and three children, remain missing after Monday’s violence.
In a press release, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) strongly condemned the CRPF’s actions, questioning the legitimacy of the CRPF’s role as a neutral force. The ITLF observed a shutdown across all Kuki-Zo-dominated districts, demanding the CRPF re-evaluate its approach toward local tribal communities.
Another tribal body, the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), issued a directive for “non-cooperation” with the CRPF. They declared that CRPF personnel would not be allowed to leave their camps until they publicly acknowledged and apologized for as “barbaric actions” during the incident in Jiribam.
The controversy intensified as the ITLF referred to an earlier incident on November 7, when Meitei Hindu gunmen attacked the Zairawn village in Jiribam, killing a Hmar woman who was raped and shot before her village was burned down. According to the ITLF, CRPF forces stationed nearby did not intervene to help the villagers.
