Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday (November 16, 2024) termed the recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur “deeply disturbing”, as he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state and work towards restoring peace in the region.

A day after the bodies of three out of six missing persons were fished out of a river in Manipur, protesters on Saturday (November 16, 2024) attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs, prompting the government to clamp prohibitory orders in five districts for an indefinite period besides suspending internet services in parts of the State.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said the recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur is deeply disturbing.

“After more than a year of division and suffering, it was the hope of every Indian that the Central and State governments would make every effort at reconciliation and found a solution,” the former Congress chief said.

“I urge the PM once again to visit Manipur and work towards restoring peace and healing in the region,” Mr. Gandhi said.

In Imphal, angry protesters ransacked the houses of three legislators, including that of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s son-in-law, and set their properties on fire even as the security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators.

The Congress has been attacking the Prime Minister for not visiting Manipur, besides slamming the Centre for its handling of the situation in the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state.

The violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has claimed more than 200 lives since May last year.

Security personnel during a search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts of Manipur.
| Photo Credit: Sandhya V 6041@Chennai

Senior officers of the Manipur Police have been sent to the Jiribam district to oversee the search operation for the six people who went missing from a relief camp following the gunfight between militants and security forces in Borobekra, officials said on Friday.

IG and DIG rank officers were in Jiribam to supervise and coordinate the efforts by the security forces to find the three women and three children, they said.

Imphal Valley-based civil society organisations have been alleging that the six missing persons were kidnapped by retreating militants after their attack at the Borobekra police station was thwarted by security forces.

Ten suspected militants were killed in the gunfight that followed the attack on Monday (November 11, 2024), according to the police. However, a senior state government official had put the toll at 11.

These six persons who went missing lived in a relief camp on the premises of the police station.

Candlelight vigils were held in Imphal and Jiribam on Thursday (November 14, 2024) night, demanding the “immediate release” of the missing persons.

The demonstrators in Jiribam criticised the local politicians, including the MLA, alleging that they were not taking the initiative to find the missing persons.

A purported photo of the six missing persons has been viral on social media. Police said they had seen it but did not confirm whether they were kidnapped.