Manipur Violence: Compensation of Rs. 10 Lakh announced for those killed in clashes

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• May 30, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The central and state governments have decided to give Rs 10 lakh in compensation to people who died during the ethnic conflict in Manipur...

Digital Desk: The central and state governments have decided to give Rs 10 lakh in compensation to people who died during the ethnic conflict in Manipur, officials said on Tuesday. Moreover, the government will also provide a job to a member of the family of those who died in the riot. Reportedly, the compensation amount will be shared equally by the center and the state.

The decision was made after a late-night meeting on Monday between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chief minister N Biren Singh.

Officials also stated that it has been decided to set up dedicated telephone lines that will be used to refute rumour-mongering, which has hindered the effort of calming the situation and bringing peace to the unstable state.

In addition, Shah's meeting also decided that necessary supplies such as petrol, LPG petrol, rice and other food products would be made available in large quantities in order to cool down prices. The home minister was accompanied by the Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Kumar Deka when he arrived in Imphal on Monday night.

Amit Shah on Tuesday holds a series of meetings with political and civil society leaders from both the Meitei and Kuki communities, and will also visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst violence incidents which happened earlier this month.

Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill regions on May 3 to oppose the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Since then, there have been waves of unrest, with the most recent violence killing at least five people on Sunday.

Also Read : Manipur violence: CRPF IG Rajiv Singh sent to conflict-stricken state, likely to get key post

The violence was preceded by unrest over the eviction of Kuki villagers from the reserve forest area, which sparked a series of smaller confrontations.

Meiteis make up around 53% of Manipur's population and live mainly in the Imphal Valley. Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute the remaining 40% of the population and live in the hill districts.

To restore normalcy in the northeastern state, around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, totaling over 10,000 military personnel, as well as those from other paramilitary forces, had to be deployed.