Firing by unidentified men from the Kuki-Zo-majority Churachandpur towards Meitei settlements in Bishnupur district on Tuesday night has fuelled fresh tension in strife-hit Manipur, prompting authorities to beef up security to prevent further escalation.

The development is likely to affect the resettlement of the internally-displaced persons (IDPs) who have been staging protests in Imphal since mid-November seeking to return home within December.

While Meitei organisations have condemned the attack, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has expressed concern over the “unilateral” administrative decision on the resettlement of the IDPs in a volatile area such as Torbung.

Officials said Tuesday’s attack, which lasted for around 20 minutes, was directed towards Torbung in Meitei-majority Bishhnupur district where 389 displaced persons returned to their original homes homes in Torbung, Phougakchao Ikhai and nearby areas.

The Meitei IDPs had fled their homes on May 3, 2023, the day when the conflict between the Kuki-Zos and the Meiteis erupted, leaving at least 260 dead and 60,000 displaced.

There was no casualty but the firing unsettled the IDPs and fuelled fresh tension in the bordering areas between the two volatile districts
of Manipur.

Officials said central forces and army have beefed up security in the bordering areas and the situation was under control.

Business establishments in Bishnupur’s Moirang remained shut in protest on Wednesday. Meira Paibis — a collective of women torchbearers — along with the IDPs also staged a protest in Imphal.

Meitei-based organisations and political parties have condemned the incident, with the Meitei Heritage Society (MHS) saying the attack by “suspected Chin-Kuki militants” at Torbung was “particularly alarming” as Meitei IDPs had “resettled in the area (bordering Churachandpur) only yesterday”.

The MHS said the timing and nature of the attack clearly indicate “a deliberate attempt to create fear, panic and insecurity among resettled IDPs and to sabotage any effort by the government to facilitate resettlement, restore normalcy and ensure peace”.

“As has been evident, the ongoing Manipur crisis has been systematically orchestrated by a handful of militant groups, aided by proxy politicians and certain civil society organisations, to destabilise Manipur and undermine India’s sovereignty. Their ultimate objective is the creation of an imaginary nation, so-called ‘Kukiland’ or ‘Zogam’,” the MHS claimed.

NPP MLA Mayanglambam Rameshwar said: “On behalf of the National Peoples’ Party, I highly condemn this provocative and cruel act. I also appeal to the government to punish those trying to derail the peace process underway among communities.”

“Necessary precautionary measures should also be taken up by the government to ensure there are no intelligence lapses that could lead to disturbance of peace,” he said.

NPP state unit president Pfoze S Lorho said there has been progress towards peace since the last few months. “To have a fresh escalation is unfortunate,” he said.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) also condemned the armed firing and bombing that took place at Torbung, “which terrorised innocent civilians and violated fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India”. The blamed “armed persons affiliated to Kuki militant elements” for the attack.

The Cocomi has lodged a complaint with the Bishnupur police on Wednesday seeking registration of an FIR and action against those involved in Tuesday night’s firing and bombing incident at Torbung in Manipur, “resulting in widespread panic and posing a serious threat to the life and property of innocent civilians”.

“The manner, intensity, and coordination of the attack indicate a premeditated act of violence, attributable to suspected armed Kuki militant elements operating in and around the area,” the complaint said.

On the other hand, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), engaged in talks with Centre for finding a resolution to the conflict, expressed “grave concern” over the incident that occurred at the Torbung buffer zone.

“It must be recalled that the violence of 3 May 2023 originated in Torbung, Churachandpur — an extremely sensitive area where both Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities once lived. Torbung area also witnessed the first killing of the conflict, when Pastor Sehkhohao Kipgen was brutally beaten to death in broad daylight. In the first two days alone, 45 Kuki-Zo lives were lost,” the KZC said.

Reiterating its separate administration demand, the KZC added: “Against this backdrop, the decision of the deputy commissioner of Bishnupur to flag off resettlement of Meitei IDPs in the Torbung buffer zone is deeply irresponsible and provocative. A sensitive administration would have avoided resettlement in such a volatile area. Allowing Meitei IDPs to resettle in the buffer zone amounts to inviting renewed conflict. The deputy commissioner of Bishnupur must take responsibility and roll back the resettlement in this volatile area to avoid further escalation.”

Additional reporting by PTI