The Meitei community of Manipur has strongly condemned the killing of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldier, Ajoy Kumar Jha, in an ambush on Sunday. The incident, attributed to suspected Kuki insurgents, has further fueled tensions in the ethnically divided state.
The Meitei Alliance, a global umbrella body of civil society organizations representing the Meitei community, issued a statement expressing condolences to the bereaved family and condemning the attack.
They highlighted the ongoing violence in Manipur, stating that Jha was the 12th security personnel killed by "cross-border terrorist groups" since May 2023. The Alliance called for decisive action from the central government to address the escalating violence and restore the rule of law in the region.
Manipur Police and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh confirmed the killing of the CRPF soldier in separate statements on X (formerly Twitter). Singh strongly condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased soldier.
This incident is the latest in a series of violent clashes between the Meitei community and Kuki tribes, which have resulted in over 220 deaths and displaced nearly 50,000 people. The ongoing conflict stems from demands for Scheduled Tribe status by the Meitei community and calls for a separate administration by the Kuki tribes, who cite discrimination and unequal resource distribution.
The Meitei Alliance's statement emphasized that the lack of adequate action from the central government has emboldened these groups to commit such heinous crimes. They called for the restoration of the rule of law and urged authorities to address the underlying grievances that have fueled the conflict.
