Manipur Violence: Governor Approves Shoot-At-Sight Order

Imphal: After clashes between tribal people and the dominant Meitei community broke out across the state on Thursday, the Governor of Manipur Anusuiya Uikey approved the state home department’s order to shoot at first sight.

The directive was issued in light of the current state of law and order following reports of violent incidents during the Tribal Solidarity March on Wednesday, May 3.

In “extreme cases where forms of persuasion, warning, reasonable force, etc. had been exhausted under the provisions of law under CrPC, 1973, and the situation cannot be controlled,” the Manipur Governor authorised all District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, and all Executive Magistrates/Special Executive Magistrates concerned to issue shoot at sight orders.

As the situation in Manipur worsened, 55 columns of the Army and Assam Rifles were deployed, while 14 columns were kept on standby.
A defence official said on Thursday that 9,000 individuals have so far been rescued by the forces from the violent areas and provided refuge and that additional people are still being relocated to safer locations.

At the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the Churachandpur district’s Torbung area on Wednesday to denounce the non-tribal Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, violence broke out in several Manipur districts.

There were clashes between tribal people and non-tribal people at the rally, which was attended by thousands of protesters.

Following the violence, Manipur’s eight districts were placed under a curfew, and the entire northeastern state’s mobile internet services were shut down for the following five days.