Tension in Manipur's Jiribam after man killed by militants: Police

Ethnic tensions prevailed in Manipur's Jiribam district on Friday after a 59-year-old farmer, belonging to the Meitei community, was allegedly killed by unknown militants, police said.

After the incident, several villagers, including women and children, also started shifting to safer locations.

Soibam Saratkumar Singh went missing while he was returning from his farm, the police said, adding the body had wounds inflicted by a sharp object.

Angered by the killing, locals set an abandoned structure on fire, the police said.

In response to the escalating violence, the District Magistrate (DM) of Jiribam imposed curfew under relevant sections of the CrPC to prevent further violence.

The district magistrate also directed the Jiribam SP to "identify vulnerable pockets and deploy security forces to avoid unwanted incidents".

A joint control room comprising officials of the Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force, Manipur Police and Indian Reserve Battalion has also been set up for quick communication among security forces in the district.

Luikham Lanmiyo, the superintendent of police in Tamenglong, stated on Friday morning that adequate security measures are in place in areas bordering the Jiribam district, which shares a border with the Cachar district in Assam.

"We are keeping a close vigil on the movement of any persons crossing from Jiribam to Tamenglong," Lanmiyo said.

Although the family of Saratkumar Singh had not filed a formal police complaint, they verbally informed the police about the incident.

After the recovery of Saratkumar’s body, the police registered a case in connection with the matter under relevant sections of the IPC.

The ethnic conflict between valley-dominant Meitei community and the hills-dominant Kukis has led to the deaths of over 220 people and left thousands homeless.