Manipur violence: Cop killed, armoury looted in separate incidents in Indian state

A police personnel was killed, and an armoury was looted in two separate incidents in violence-hit Manipur on Thursday (August 3), Indian media reports said. Citing an official statement, NDTV reported that armed attackers and security forces exchanged fire Koutruk, Haraothel, and Senjam Chirang areas. In Senjam Chirang, the police personnel was killed after being shot in the head by a sniper. A village volunteer was also injured in the gun battle.

Meanwhile, in Manipur's Bishnupur district, a mob looted weapons from the Second Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Naransena. The mob also tried to seize arms and ammunition from Heingang and Singjamei police stations but security forces thwarted their attack, the report added.

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence since May. Over 130 people have been killed and 60,000 others displaced. The violence started after a court ordered the state government to consider extending special economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education enjoyed by the tribal Kuki people to the majority Meitei population as well.

What started with street protests spiralled into an armed conflict. The Narendra Modi-led central government is facing backlash from the opposition parties. The monsoon session of parliament has been disrupted several times, to demand a detailed statement by Prime Minister Modi on Manipur in parliament, followed by a debate.

On July 26, the parliament authorised a no-confidence vote against the central government by opposition parties to force Modi to address in detail concerns about the violence in the northeastern state.

Approving the opposition motion, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said he would soon decide when the debate and vote would take place.

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