Apart from 19 districts in the state of Manipur, the rest of the state has been declared as tense. Following the ongoing violence, the Manipur government has declared the entire state a disturbed area, i.e. a tension-ridden area. AFSPA has been extended to the entire state except 19 police station areas.
In march this year, the central government lifted AFSPA from four police stations in Manipur - Wangoi, Limagong, Nambol and Moirang. This took the number of AFSPA-free police station ranges to 19 in seven districts of Manipur. "Violent activities of various terrorist/insurgent groups warrant deployment of armed forces in aid of civil administration throughout the state of Manipur, except in areas under the jurisdiction of 19 (nineteen) police stations," the governor of Manipur said.
Under (i) Imphal (ii) Lambel (iii) City (iv) Singjamei (v) Chekmai (vi) Lamsang (vii) Patsoi (viii) Wangoi (ix) Porompat (x) Heingkang (xi) Lamlai (xii) Irilpung xiii ) Leimakhong (xiv)Thoubal (xv) Bishnupur (xvi) Nambol (xvii) Moirang (xviii) Kakching and (xix) Jiribam,” says an official notification. Manipur has not seen peace for months due to communal clashes fueled by a high court order. Interim Chief Justice MV Muralitharan on march 27 directed the state government in Manipur to recommend inclusion of the Meithe community in the list of scheduled tribes (ST).
Massive protests from the naga and Kuki-Zomi tribes escalated to clash with the Meidi. Two months later, a video of two tribal women being paraded naked by a group of men surfaced on social media and sparked outrage. In the latest development in Manipur, tensions flared again this week after photographs of the bodies of two students who went missing on monday surfaced on social media. Following this, the Manipur government asked people to exercise restraint. The two youths have been identified as Bijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Lintoingambi (17). congress president mallikarjun Kharge on wednesday hit out at prime minister Narendra Modi over the situation in Manipur, demanding the sacking of the BJP's "incompetent" chief minister as a first step to contain the turmoil.
He accused the bjp of weaponizing violence against women and children and turning Manipur into a battleground. Clashes broke out between RAF soldiers and locals in Singjamei area of Imphal on tuesday night. The disappearances since July 6 prompted law enforcement officials to fire tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters and use batons to beat them, injuring 45 of the protesters, mostly students.
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