Meanwhile, the district administration issued a fresh appeal urging calm.“I urge all individuals, community leaders, and groups to refrain from further violence and work towards peace and reconciliation,” District Magistrate Dharun Kumar S said, warning that any attempt to take the law into one’s own hands would face strict legal action.Kumar said that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and that any such actions will be met with strict legal consequences. He encouraged community leaders to engage in dialogue with authorities, assuring that the administration was committed to restoring order and ensuring public safety.Security forces conducted flag marches and fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse baton-wielding mobs engaged in stone pelting. Authorities reported shots fired by some individuals in the crowd but were unclear on who was responsible. Several properties were vandalised.Notably, Sunday’s violence was sparked when Richard Hmar, driving a vehicle, nearly collided with a two-wheeler rider from the Zomi community, leading to an altercation and subsequent assault on him. This led to the imposition of curfew and retaliatory shutdowns by Hmar groups in Pherzawl and Jiribam districts.A peace settlement was reached on Tuesday, with the attacker’s family agreeing to pay Rs 50,000 for a customary feast and Rs 2 lakh for Hmar’s medical expenses. Both sides had pledged to prevent future violence. However, clashes erputed late on Tuesday, just hours after a peace settlement had been reached.Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023, resulting in over 250 deaths and leaving thousands displaced.The Centre had imposed President’s rule in the state on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister. The state assembly, which has tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
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