Fresh violence in Manipur reignites political storm

Tensions are rising again in Manipur and so are the unanswered questions. A fresh wave of violence has laid bare just how fragile peace remains in the northeastern states more than three years after ethnic conflict first broke out. Well, the latest killings, arrests and the recovery of a large cache of weapons have once again sparked a political confrontation. The Congress has accused the BJP of failing to protect lives, restore order and even secure a strategically sensitive border state. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp attack on the BJP saying that Manipur was bleeding again because of the BJP's incompetence. Kharge said that since May 2023, more than 300 lives have been lost while 24,530 people remain in relief camps in pathetic conditions, quote-unquote. Well, in a postscript, he questioned the Centre's response and demanded justice, security and rehabilitation for displaced families. The immediate trigger for the political storm was an attack on Monday in Kangpokpi District, Manipur. Police say suspected armed militants opened fire on a group of about 14 villagers who had gone to collect firewood at Kongbal, Tangkhul. Three Meitei villagers died of bullet injuries while four others were injured. The attack has deeply angered residents in the Imphal Valley where protesters later took the bodies of two victims to the chief minister's residence. demanding accountability and stronger action against armed groups. In a separate incident, one person was killed and several others injured in clashes between members of two communities in Tobal district on Sunday. The authorities subsequently imposed prohibitory orders in the affected areas as security forces worked to prevent the situation from spreading further. Meanwhile Manipur police, in coordination with central security forces, intensified joint-search operations and intelligence-based raids following the attack. During these operations, three suspected militants were reportedly arrested. According to the police, a preliminary investigation revealed that two of the three arrested suspects had admitted to being part of the assault team. Based on information provided by the accused, security forces recovered 12 firearms and 1,095 live rounds of ammunition from mountainous areas. The latest violence once again exposed the central challenge in Manipur. Restoring trust between communities, disarming armed groups and even ensuring that ordinary civilians are not left vulnerable in a conflict that has already displaced thousands and claimed hundreds of lives.