In a fresh round of violence in Manipur, three people were killed at Kuki Thowai village in Ukhrul district on Friday, officials said.
The mutilated bodies of three youths were found after the gunfire.
Sounds of heavy gunfire were heard from the village early in the morning today.
According to the officials, the bodies of the three youths, who were between 24 years and 35 years of age, were recovered in a police search in the surrounding villages and forest areas.
“Bodies of the three persons bore injury marks apparently made using sharp knives and their limbs were also chopped off,” the officials said.
The ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.
CPIM delegation in Manipur today
A four-member delegation led by CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury will visit the violence-hit northeastern state of Manipur on Friday (August 18).
The visit of the CPIM delegation will span over three days till August 20, in which it is likely to meet and interact with the victims of the violence.
Yechury departed for Manipur this morning from the New Delhi Airport.
Ahead of his departure, the CPIM general secretary said that they are visiting Manipur to express solidarity with its people and added that they will do anything to restore peace.
“We are going to express solidarity with the people of Manipur & tell them India is with you…Manipur CM should be sacked. We will do whatever is necessary to restore peace,” he said.
Stating that the situation in Manipur is “dangerous”, Yechury said that it is necessary to control it for the “unity of the country”.
(With PTI inputs)
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