98 killed, 310 injured in Manipur ethnic violence: Govt

Imphal: At least 98 people lost their lives and 310 others were injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur that broke out a month ago, the government said in a statement on Friday.

A total of 37,450 people are in 272 relief camps at present, said the statement, issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

In all, 4,014 cases of arson have been reported since the violence broke out in the state on May 3, it said.

"The number of deaths is 98 and the number of injured reported is 310," it said.

Over the last one month, the state police has registered 3,734 cases and arrested 65 people for their involvement in the violence, the statement said.

"Sporadic incidents of firing or torching of houses by miscreants are becoming rare now as coordinated effort is made by different security agencies," it said.

The Army, Assam Rifles, CAPFs and local police have been deployed in vulnerable places, it added.

Till now, 84 companies of central armed forces have been deployed, the statement said.

"More companies are being deployed. Flag march and area domination exercises are being carried out widely. Search operations will be conducted from today to recover snatched arms and ammunition," it said.

The government appealed to the people to surrender the snatched arms and ammunition.

"Stringent legal action will be taken against any person if caught with snatched arms and ammunition," it said.

So far, 144 arms with 11 magazines have been recovered by the security agencies, said the statement.

Meetings were being held with village heads and civil society organisations to resolve conflict and bring peace, it said, claiming that the situation is normal in most of the districts.

Curfew has been relaxed for 12 hours in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Pherzawl, for 11 hours in Kangpokpi, for 10 hours in Churachandpur and Chandel, for eight hours in Jiribam and Tenugopal, and for seven hours in Thoubal and Kakching districts, it said.

There is no curfew in Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, it added.

"Movement of essential items along the NH-37 has been ensured," the statement said, noting that around 450 trucks were on the move with essential items.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Manipur a day after Home Minister Amit Shah left the state, concluding his four-day visit and announcing a slew of measures to bring back normalcy.

Clashes broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.