Tragic incidents unfolded in Manipur as two bodies, one of a woman and another of an unidentified man, were discovered in Imphal East and West districts with apparent bullet wounds. The woman's body, found in Tairenpokpi area, Imphal West, has been sent for post-mortem at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences. In Imphal East, locals discovered the blindfolded and bound man with bullet wounds in Takhok Mapal Makha area late on Tuesday night. His body is undergoing identification and post-mortem examinations at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, PTI reported.
The woman is believed to be one of four missing persons, reportedly "abducted by unidentified men" from Kangchup foothills in Imphal West. The ongoing investigation includes an FIR registration. Earlier events involved a group from Phayeng, alarmed by unknown individuals from a different community straying into the Meitei area.
Tuesday's unrest at Kangchup foothills resulted in at least nine people sustaining bullet injuries, including two Manipur police personnel and a woman, shot by unidentified assailants. The region has witnessed recurrent violence since May, with ethnic clashes claiming over 180 lives. The root causes include grievances between communities, exacerbated by issues like the attempt to grant Meiteis Scheduled Tribe status (later rolled back) and the displacement of tribals from protected forest areas. Manipur's population comprises 53 percent Meiteis in the Imphal Valley and 40 percent tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, residing mainly in the hill districts.
