Violence continues to rock Manipur, woman killed in Bishnupur

Guwahati: A woman was killed while working in paddy fields on Saturday in a suspected hill-based militant attack on farmers in Manipur’s Bishnupur district. Though BSF personnel launched a retaliatory attack on militants, locals accused the Central forces of being ineffective in preventing such attacks.

Informing that heavily armed militants launched an attack from the hills of Churachandpur on Saturday morning, security sources said that the incident took place at Saiton village of Bishnupur district. Security sources said that such attacks by armed rebels and clashes between the locals have become frequent lately.

Meanwhile, tension escalated in Jiribam district after the second incident of killing within the last three days. The murder followed the killing of a 31-year-old woman two days ago at Zairon Hmar village in Jiribam. Six houses were burnt down on Thursday, and the next day, the charred body of a woman was recovered.

Additional security measures have now been put in place in the affected areas. Security sources said that they have rushed additional forces to these areas to check the violence and defuse the tension.

More than 200 people have been killed in ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki communities of Imphal Valley since May last year, leaving thousands homeless.