'Shoot-at-sight' order issued in India's Manipur state after widespread violence

Buildings burnt as two tribal groups clash over new government policy

Unrest in Manipur prompted authorities to shut down internet services and restrict the movement of people. Photo: Twitter

Authorities in India's north-eastern Manipur state on Thursday issued a “shoot-at-sight” order following surging violence that erupted in response to a new government policy regarding tribal status.

The Manipur government authorised officials “to give shoot-at-sight orders in outrageous cases by which all types of influence, advance notice and sensible power had been depleted to control the law and order situation”.

The order came after hundreds of Indian soldiers were sent overnight to the remote region to control the violence, with New Delhi later sending more federal security forces to deal with the situation.

A round-the-clock curfew was imposed in Kangpokpi district, where at least two people died from bullet wounds and a dozen were injured in clashes, the India Today news channel reported.

The violence began last week after a mob burnt down a new gym in Churachandpur district that Chief Minister N Biren Singh was scheduled to open amid anger over his government's decision to carry out a land survey in the forest region of the state.

While the state’s forest is a protected zone for tribes such as the Christian-majority Kukis, the government proposed including the dominant Hindu Meitei community in the tribal list, triggering resentment.

The gym incident followed street clashes after a rally organised by the Indigenous Tribe Leaders Forum, leading to several fires being lit in Churachandpur, officials said.

The unrest prompted authorities to shut down internet services and impose restrictions on the movement of people.

Violence spread to other parts of Manipur this week, forcing the state government to call in the military.

A curfew was imposed in at least eight districts of the state and internet services were shut down.

The army moved about 7,500 villagers to safer locations and held a flag march — a show of force to help control the situation.

“The columns of army with state police intervened to control the situation in the night,” the army said.

Officials said the violence had been quelled by Thursday morning.

Dozens of residential and commercial properties and some places of worship were torched by rampaging mobs.

Mary Kom, an Olympic boxer from Manipur, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to control the unrest.

Manipur, which borders Myanmar and Bangladesh, is strewn with hills and valleys.

The state is governed by Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

About 34 ethnic tribes, roughly 40 per cent population, have traditionally inhabited the hilly areas that comprise 90 per cent of the land.

The Meiteis, who make up more than half of the population and dominate the valley areas, are confined to only 10 per cent of the land mass.

They have long demanded that they be included in the tribe list so that they get exclusive land rights and job benefits, and match the status of other tribal groups.

But opposing tribes are against such a move, claiming that the Meiteis already dominate the demographic, political and social landscape of the state.