Manipur violence: Three people killed by insurgents, CBI forms SIT to probe six cases

NEW DELHI: On a day when the insurgents killed three people in Manipur, the CBI has formed a 10-member special investigation team (SIT) under a DIG-rank officer to probe six cases related to the violence referred to it by the state government.

According to the officials of the agency, Union home minister Amit Shah, during his visit to the northeastern state, had announced a CBI probe into six FIRs -- five on alleged criminal conspiracy and one on general conspiracy behind the violence in Manipur.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had dispatched joint director Ghanshyam Upadhyay to coordinate with the state officials, and upon his return, the SIT was constituted, the officials said on Friday.

The agency has re-registered the six cases referred to it by the state government and the special crime branch at Kolkata will probe the cases, they said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, three people were killed in a village in Imphal West district when a group of insurgents dressed as security personnel called them out of their homes on the pretext of a combing operation and fired at them, officials said.

The incident took place in a village on the border of Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts. The insurgents are believed to be from the Meitei community, the officials said.

The security forces on a routine patrol of the village stepped in when they heard the sound of gunfire. The insurgents fled the area but not before shooting down three villagers, the officials said.

The security forces, meanwhile, have recovered 57 arms,1,588 ammunition and 23 bombs in Imphal East, Kakching, Tegnoupal and Bishnupur districts of Manipur. So far, a total of 953 arms, 13,351 rounds of ammunition and 223 bombs of different kinds have been recovered.

Violence broke out in the northeastern state after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. So far, nearly 100 people have lost their lives and over 300 have been injured since the ethnic violence broke out over a month ago.

The clashes were preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.