GUWAHATI: In a shocking incident in Manipur’s Jiribam district, a 31-year-old tribal mother of three was found dead in her home after a violent attack by armed intruders late Thursday. The attackers, believed to be from the valley region, also carried out widespread violence in the area, including setting fire to 17 homes and looting properties.
An FIR filed by the victim’s husband with the Jiribam police alleges that the crime was racially and communally motivated. The complaint mentions that the woman was sexually assaulted and murdered, and the attackers had unlawfully entered their village. As of Friday evening, the identities of the assailants remained unknown.
The victim’s husband described the attack as a brutal act, bringing back painful memories of earlier ethnic violence in the region. “Our family has been devastated by this senseless act,” he said, referring to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state that has led to similar instances of violence in the past.
Police officials confirmed that the woman’s body would be sent to Silchar, Assam, for forensic testing. However, due to ongoing unrest and difficulties in transportation, the journey from Jiribam to Imphal, where autopsies are usually conducted, has been complicated.
The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee of Pherzawl and Jiribam has called for swift central intervention to protect the safety and rights of tribal communities in the region, particularly the Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar people. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, representing multiple tribal groups, has demanded immediate action from authorities to apprehend those responsible for the crime.
The attack has broken a two-month period of relative calm in the area. Earlier, on September 7, a gunfight in the district led to six fatalities. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been involved in trying to mediate peace talks between various communities in Manipur, including the Meitei, Kuki, and Naga groups, with the aim of ending the ongoing ethnic violence.
