New Delhi: Manipurs escalating conflict has prompted authorities to impose a fresh curfew in five districts on Tuesday. The decision comes in the wake of recent violent incidents, including an RPG attack that claimed a life and heightened tensions between ethnic groups in the state.A prior order from the district magistrates of Imphal East and West allowed a brief relaxation of the curfew from 5 am to 10 am on Tuesday. However, due to the deteriorating law and order situation, authorities canceled the relaxation by 11 am, reinstating the curfew across both districts.Voilence triggered security operationsThe resurgence of violence has triggered intensified security operations, including the deployment of military helicopters for aerial surveillance and ground combing operations. Long-range rockets, allegedly fired by Kuki militants, resulted in the deaths of five people in Bishnupur district on September 7. This followed another violent incident where militants reportedly entered a home and shot a resident dead while he slept.The recent violence follows a period of unrest that began in May 2023, which has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands. The ethnic clashes between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo groups from the surrounding hills have further destabilized the region. While security forces claim to have brought the situation under control, tensions remain high.Forces to tighten their gripThis attack came on the heels of another horrifying incident, where militants reportedly infiltrated a home and shot a man dead while he slept, further worsening the law and order situation. These events are part of a broader resurgence in ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups. The deadly confrontations have not only claimed lives but also heightened tensions in an already fragile region.Security forces have since tightened their grip on the conflict zones, with aerial patrols and ground operations aimed at neutralizing the threat posed by armed groups. Despite these efforts, the situation remains precarious, with civilians continuing to face the brunt of the violence as clashes between the ethnic groups persist.
