Due to ethnic riots and violence in the Indian state of Manipur, around 23 thousand people have left the area and moved to safer places.
According to the French news agency AFP, in the statement issued by the Indian army, it is said that 23 thousand civilians have been rescued so far from the people who left the area and have been brought to the army camps.
The army says that the curfew was relaxed from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sunday, and there was no major incident of violence between Sunday and Monday night.
It should be noted that ethnic riots broke out in the state of Manipur in the northwestern part of India on Friday, in which 54 people were killed.
The army was deployed in important areas of the state on Friday night itself, but even after that, the violence continued.
In the statement issued by the army, it has been further said that during the last 24 hours, the army has taken steps to monitor and send troops to some other areas, while helicopters and drones are also being used for aerial surveillance.
The violence erupted on Wednesday when local tribal groups protested against the possible granting of tribal status to the Mete ethnic group.
However, the protest soon got out of control, and the mob started attacking houses and vehicles.
After the riots broke out, the authorities shut down the internet and issued a shoot-on-sight order to control the situation in “absolutely unavoidable circumstances.”
The police say that the situation is still not fully under control.
According to the news agency Press Trust of India (PTI), a total of 54 deaths were reported on Saturday by hospital mortuaries in the state capital Imphal and the southern district of Churachandpur, but the government has yet to announce the death toll. The final figures regarding the casualties have not been released yet.
Members of the Metis ethnic group in Manipur have been demanding formal tribal status for many years.
After getting official tribal status under Indian law, the tribal group is given a quota in government jobs, college admissions, and assembly seats.
29-year-old Senglin, who belongs to the Kuki tribe, said that he escaped with his life along with 11 members of his family.
He said the mob killed his 49-year-old cousin Simcha Gangte on Thursday and set his house on fire.
Manipur, India, state riots ethnic