Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s home in the Indian state of Manipur has been targeted by a mob protesting the deaths of six hostages.
In the state rife with violence, the attack set off another flashpoint between protesters and security forces on Saturday, according to broadcaster NDTV.
Security forces later used tear gas to scatter the demonstrators.
The day before the protests began, police found the bodies of six family members, including an eight-month-old infant, in a Manipur river. On November 11, security forces killed ten armed Kuki men in a gunfight, and the family went missing.
Last week, a 31-year-old woman from the Hmar group in the Kuki community in Jiribam district also burned alive.
A sizable crowd gathered in the state capital of Imphal on Saturday, demanding a meeting with lawmakers, frustrated by the government’s lack of action and communication.
The government previously suspended internet services in some areas and imposed indefinite prohibition orders in five districts after protesters stormed the homes of six MLAs and three state ministers.
Manipur’s government has asked the federal government to re-examine and repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a contentious law that gives the military broad authority. On November 14, the federal government reinstated AFSPA in six police station jurisdictions: Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Moirang in Bishnupur, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Jiribam.
Intercommunal conflicts over government grants and quotas for jobs and education have resulted in over 250 deaths and 60,000 displacements in Manipur since May of last year. The Indian central government has promised to take strong action against violent elements in both communities, and has dispatched additional security forces.
The Meiteis control the valley, while the Kukis rule the hills, effectively dividing Manipur into two ethnic zones.
