In the early hours of Monday, just before Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Manipur’s Jiribam, gunmen opened fire in the district. The violence in Jiribam, which borders Assam’s Cachar district, escalated last month following the death of a Meitei resident on June 6.
The incident occurred around 3:30 am when gunmen fired from Phaitol in the neighboring Tamenglong district towards Gularthol. Police quickly arrested two individuals from the Kuki-Zo community and recovered weapons. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, though an armoured Casspir vehicle was hit.
Tensions have been high in Jiribam since the death of Soibam Sarathkumar Singh, leading to the torching of homes belonging to both Meitei and Kuki-Zo residents. Over 1,000 Kuki-Zo people and more than 900 Meitei residents have been displaced and are now in relief camps.
Despite the recent calm, the district experienced a flare-up two weeks ago when a police checkpoint was set on fire. Rahul Gandhi’s visit will include stops in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, with Jiribam being his first destination.
