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New Delhi: The hill areas of Manipur experienced a total shutdown on Tuesday (November 12), with schools and colleges closed, markets shut and vehicles off the roads. The 13-hour shutdown that began at 5 am was organised by the Kuki-Zo Council to mourn and express solidarity over the deaths of individuals shot in Jiribam on Monday.
The Manipur police reported that a gunfight on Monday led to the deaths of 10 suspected militants after insurgents in camouflage, equipped with sophisticated weapons, opened fire on the Borobekra police station and a nearby CRPF camp in Jiribam district. However, a senior government official, speaking to PTI, put the death toll at 11.
The shutdown proceeded without incident in the Kuki-dominated hill regions, with officials confirming to PTI that no disruptions were reported. In many areas, schools, colleges, shops and government offices remained closed while public and private transport services were suspended.
Also read: Two Bodies Found After Manipur Police Says 10 ‘Armed Militants’ Killed by Security Forces in Jiribam
Several Kuki-Zo organisations criticised central forces and called for an investigation into the Jiribam incident. The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) issued a statement mandating that CRPF personnel remain confined to their camps, adding that violations of this directive would be at the personnel’s own risk. KSO also requested compliance with what they termed a “non-cooperation” movement against the CRPF until the latter issues a public apology for its actions in Jiribam.
The Zomi Students’ Federation demanded a court-monitored investigation into the shootout, describing it as a “fake encounter.” They also called for an immediate transfer of Meitei personnel and CRPF officers to other states.
Additionally, the Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the incident and demanded the withdrawal of CRPF and Manipur police forces from Kuki-Zo areas. The HSA urged for the deployment of neutral peacekeeping forces to secure Hmar and other tribal areas, ensuring safety and deterring further violence.
In its statement, the HSA also appealed to the Union government and international human rights organisations to acknowledge what it termed targeted actions against the Hmar community, stressing the need for justice and an end to divisive violence.
The Kuki-Zo organisations identified those killed in the gunfight as “village volunteers” from the Hmar community, emphasising that they were not combatants. The Hmar Village Volunteers (HVVs) asserted that they were not engaged in any conflict with the central forces but condemned what they described as the “irresponsible actions” of a central forces unit that led to the deaths of at least 11 volunteers.
Contradicting the claim that the deceased were village volunteers, police reported the recovery of sophisticated firearms from the scene, asserting that those killed were “armed militants or miscreants,” as per the PTI report.
The attack in Jiribam also left six individuals unaccounted for, with police operations underway to locate them.
Since May last year, ethnic clashes between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups in the surrounding hills have led to over 200 fatalities and left thousands displaced. Jiribam, an ethnically diverse region, had remained largely untouched by the conflict until recently, following the discovery of a farmer’s mutilated body in June, which sparked fresh tensions.
