New Delhi: The governor of Manipur on Thursday, May 4 authorised all district magistrates to issue “shoot at sight” order in “extreme cases” to “maintain public order and tranquility in the state”, ANI reported.
Separately, a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Vungzagin Valte, was attacked by a mob in Imphal while returning from a meeting with chief minister Biren Singh’s office on Thursday, Scroll reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
A senior security official told the news outlet that Valte has been admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. He is in a critical condition, the report said, adding that he will be airlifted to Delhi for treatment.
Meanwhile, PTI reported, citing sources, that the state government has appointed retired IPS officer and former CRPF chief, Kuldiep Singh, as its security advisor in view of the spiralling violence in the state.
He also headed the National Investigation Agency, in an additional capacity, as its director general, the report added.
The developments come after tensions erupted in several parts of Manipur on May 3 after a solidarity march organised by a tribal students’ union to oppose the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by a section of the majority Meitei community in the state turned violent in the Churachandpur district.
Eyewitnesses said everything was peaceful during the march until some miscreants burnt the gate of the Anglo Kuki Memorial situated in Moirang in the neighbouring Bishnupur district, The Wire reported.
The miscreants’ act resulted in a clash between the villagers of Churachandpur and Bishnpur districts, around Kangvai locality where the majority population belongs to the Kuki tribal community.
Locals told The Wire their houses were burnt, forcing dozens of them to rush to nearby forests for shelter and safety.
The Army and Assam Rifles were deployed to rescue at least 4,000 people from violence hit areas of Churachandpur, Imphal West and Tengnoupal districts, The Wire reported.
Meanwhile, chief minister N. Biren Singh said all steps are being taken to control the situation.
Mobile internet services have been banned for five days across the state, after homes belonging to tribals were set on fire.