Fresh violence erupted in Manipur on Sunday night with at least four people being killed, including one case where police said the victim had been beheaded.
The incident took place at Khoijumantabi village, situated on the boundary of Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, a little past midnight on Sunday, the Manipur Police said in a statement.
“Today at about 00.05 hours (12.05am) unknown miscreants coming from adjoining hills fired at the village volunteers stationed at Khoijumantabi Hills, Bishnupur district,” the statement read.
An association representing the Hmar community asserted that one of the deceased individuals belonged to their tribe and was killed by what they described as "terrorists."
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Following the incident, the 12-hour curfew relaxation in Bishnupur was curtailed to five hours. “Curfew was curtailed from 5 am at 10 am,” the state government said in a statement.
Meanwhile, curfew restrictions were relaxed in Imphal West district from 5 am to 6 pm on July 3.
Chief Minister Biren Singh went to the spot of fresh violence to take stock of the situation and interacted with the locals. On Saturday evening, he had said that he had spoken to members of the Kuki community in an effort to work towards peace and reconciliation.
“I spoke to some brothers and sisters from the Kuki community on the telephone, and said that what has happened has happened. Now is the time to forgive and forget, reconcile and live together,” he had said on Saturday evening.
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On Sunday, Kuki groups announced that they would withdraw the roadblocks on National Highway 2 in Manipur's Kangpokpi district which was blocked since the outbreak of violence in the state on May 3.
The United Peoples' Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) issued a joint statement announcing the lifting of the blockade with immediate effect.
More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur since clashes first started on May 3.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the situation in neighbouring Manipur will improve within 7-10 days, with the state and central governments working "silently" to restore peace. He claimed there has been "a lot of improvement" in Manipur in the last month.
But the state continued to witness incidents of violence. On June 30, the death of two people belonging to the Meitei community sparked protests in Imphal. Police used several rounds of tear gas shells to stop and disperse them. According to reports, protestors were chanting slogans against the Biren Singh government amid escalating violence in the state.
