Tensions escalate as protester shot dead during violence in Manipur's Jiribam

A protester was shot dead during a violent clash between security forces and a mob in Manipur’s Jiribam district, officials confirmed on Monday. The victim, identified as 21-year-old K Athouba, was killed in an exchange of gunfire late Sunday night. It remains unclear which party fired the bullet that killed him, authorities stated.

Protesters alleged that Manipur Police special commandos opened fire to disperse the crowd, fatally injuring Athouba and wounding two others. Security forces, however, countered these claims, stating that the mob had attacked properties belonging to political leaders and vandalized offices of various political parties before arson broke out under Jiribam Police jurisdiction.

The protests were sparked by the killing of three women and three children on November 11. Their bodies were recovered on Friday night in Assam’s Silchar, five days after they were reportedly abducted by suspected Kuki insurgents from Jiribam’s Bokobera neighborhood during a firefight with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Tensions flared as news of the killings spread. On Saturday, angry mobs gathered outside the homes of several political leaders in Imphal, including Health Minister Sapam Ranjan and three MLAs, demanding accountability and swift justice for the victims.

Security forces revealed that 10 suspected Kuki insurgents were killed in the encounter with the CRPF during the abduction incident. However, protests erupted again when Kuki groups in Assam claimed the deceased were “village volunteers,” not militants, and surrounded a local hospital to block the transportation of their bodies.

The Assam Police remain on high alert, given the potential for further violence in the region. The situation in Manipur continues to be volatile, with calls for justice and heightened security measures dominating the local narrative.