175 Killed In Four Months Of Ethnic Violence, 96 Bodies Still Unclaimed: Manipur Police

The police on Thursday also said that over 1,100 people have been injured in the violence so far and 32 continue to be missing.?

Manipur has been in the grips of ethnic violence since May 3 when clashes erupted between the state's Meitei and tribal communities after a rally opposing the scheduled tribe status to the Meitis. Since then, houses have been attacks, places of worship have vandalised, police stations have been looted of weapons, and political and other government establishments have also been repeatedly targeted.?

Addressing a press conference, IGP (Operations) I K Muivah on Thursday said that as many as 175 people were killed, 1,108 others injured, and 32 are missing in the ethnic violence since in the state since May 3.?

Muivah further said that a total of 4,786 houses were set on fire and 386 religious structures were vandalised, according to PTI.

"In this challenging time that Manipur is in, we can reassure the public that the police, central forces and the civil administration are trying round-the-clock to bring normalcy back," said Muivah.

Of the weapons that have been “lost”, 1,359 firearms and 15,050 ammunition were recovered, said Muivah.?

Earlier, it had been reported that thousands of weapons, including automatic rifles and submachine guns, have been looted by miscreants along with around 6,00,000 rounds of ammunition. A report said that these weapons and bullets stolen in raids on police stations and academies have strengthened the militant groups that have got a fresh lease of life with the ongoing ethnic violence in the state.?

Muivah also said that a total of 5,172 acts of arson cases were reported and a total of 386 religious structures, including 254 churches and 132 temples, were vandalised, according to PTI.

"Security barricades from Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district to Kangvai in Churachandpur district have been removed, while security has been provided on national highways," said Muivah, as per PTI.

IGP (Administration) K Jayanta said of the 175 people who died, nine are still unidentified, as per PTI.

“Seventy-nine of the bodies have been claimed while 96 remain unclaimed. At RIMS and JNIMS (hospitals in Imphal), 28 and 26 bodies have been kept respectively, while 42 are at Churachandpur hospital," said Jayanta, as per PTI.

Jayanta said that a total of 9,332 cases have been registered and 325 people were arrested for months of ethnic violence in the state.?

Meanwhile, IGP (Zone-3) Nishit Ujjwal said NH-32 and NH-2 are functioning normally, according to PTI.

A sharp trust deficit has emerged between the two main ethnic groups of the state, the Meitis and the tribals, with the violence. While the Meitis are primarily based in the Imphal Valley, the tribals live in the hilly regions surrounding the Valley. Sections of the state's tribal community have demanded a separate administration for the state's tribal regions and there have also been voices for the carving out of Union Territories from the state.