As many as 28 to 30 people are confirmed to have been killed in Manipur since violence broke out in the state on Wednesday, Kuldip Singh, the new security adviser to the chief minister, said on Saturday.
News agency PTI quoted unidentified officials as saying 54 people had been killed. PTI added that “unofficially, sources placed the death toll at over a hundred”.
Singh, a former CRPF chief, said on Saturday that over 100 people had been injured and 500 houses burnt.
“Confirmed death cases are 28 to 30. Further, we are verifying. As and when we get it verified and find out, that it is because of the violence, we will confirm,” Singh told the ANI news agency.
This is the first time an official has disclosed on record the death toll in the conflict involving the Meitei (mostly Hindu) and Kuki (mostly Christian) communities of the state. The state’s tribal communities, including the Kukis and the Nagas, have been opposing the demand of the majority Meitei community for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list.
Singh said the situation was improving but tension prevailed in some areas. The army launched aerial surveillance along the border with Myanmar and over the clash-hit areas.
Five Manipur districts — Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul and Churachandpur — share a 398km border with Myanmar.
On the overall situation, Singh said: “We have to tackle the situation in Kakching, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts and the areas near Imphal cities.... At least from the day before yesterday, yesterday (the situation) was better; from yesterday, today is comparatively better than yesterday but there is tension. Still, some areas in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh are under tension....”
The Manipur government had on Thursday appointed Singh as the security adviser to chief minister N. Biren Singh, who belongs to the BJP. Additional DGP (Intelligence) Ashutosh Sinha has been named the overall operational commander. Sinha is working under the guidance of Kuldip Singh.
Although there is no official confirmation, sources said the Centre had promulgated Article 355 in the state to control the situation. To back their claim, they cited the twin appointments of Kuldip Singh and Sinha, made on the “advice” of the Union home ministry, and the heavy deployment of army and paramilitary forces in the immediate aftermath of the violence.
Article 355 is a part of the emergency provisions contained in Part XVIII of the Constitution, empowering the Centre to take all possible steps to protect a state against internal disturbances and external aggression. The Centre in that case looks after security and law and order in the state.
Imphal City and the Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts have borne the brunt of the unrest. Nine people were arrested on Saturday and a sizeable amount of looted arms recovered, Kuldip Singh said.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) for admission to medical colleges has been postponed for candidates who were to appear from centres in Manipur.
Chief minister Biren Singh held an all-party meeting on the prevailing situation. It was attended by the Congress, NPF, NPP, CPM, Shiv Sena and the AAP, among others.
