The district authority of Manipur's Jiribam has declared an indefinite curfew under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code as ethnic tension escalated following the killing of a 59-year-old man from the Meitei community.
The incident has sparked widespread alarm and rekindled historical tensions, leading to the torching of several homes belonging to the Kuki-Zo community.
The situation escalated when a group forcefully entered the Jiribam police station, demanding the return of their legally-owned firearms, which had been surrendered during recent elections.
The deceased, identified as Soibam Saratkumar Singh, was reportedly abducted by unidentified individuals while returning from his farm.
His body was later discovered near a hillside, although no formal police complaint had been filed by the family.
In response, the district administrations of both Jiribam and the adjacent Tamenglong have imposed restrictions on individual movement outside residences until further notice.
A police control room has been established to monitor the situation, particularly movements across the Jiribam-Tamenglong border, which is also adjacent to Assam's Cachar district.
The authorities are maintaining a vigilant watch over the area to prevent any further escalation of violence or loss of life.
The government has exempted law enforcement and essential services from the curfew, and provisions have been made for emergency situations requiring public gatherings, such as marriages or funerals, subject to prior written permission from the relevant officials.
