On Wednesday, Manipur witnessed violent clashes over a court order on Scheduled Tribe status, which escalated to the point where the Manipur government issued “shoot at sight” orders in “extreme cases.” The Army has said that the situation has been brought under control in Moreh and Kangpokpi, while efforts are ongoing to restore normalcy in the capital Imphal and violence-hit Churachandpur. Additionally, 55 army columns have been deployed, and the Rapid Action Force has been flown in to contain the spiraling violence. The Centre is rushing additional troops to the state, with the Indian Air Force airlifting forces from Guwahati and Tezpur in Assam.

Although the government has not yet confirmed the number of lives lost, over 9,000 people from various districts have been evacuated and given shelter in special camps. The government has assured citizens that it is taking all measures to maintain law and order and is committed to protecting the lives and property of all its people. In the wake of the violence, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma directed officials to evacuate students from his state studying in various schools and colleges in Manipur.

The violence began on Wednesday during protests by various tribal groups of Manipur over a court order on Scheduled Tribe status. The All Tribal Student Union Manipur called a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ to protest against the non-tribal Meitei community’s demand for a Scheduled tribe status. Thousands participated in the rally, during which violence broke out between some tribal groups and non-tribals. The Meitei, who are the majority in the state, primarily inhabit the Manipur valley and claim that they are facing difficulty in view of “large-scale illegal immigration by Myanmarese and Bangladeshis.” As per existing law, the Meiteies are not allowed to settle in the hill areas of the state.