Guwahati, July 17, 2023: Nine individuals have been apprehended in connection with the tragic murder of a woman in Imphal East district, Manipur. The incident took place on Saturday evening in the Sawombung area, where the woman in her mid-50s was fatally shot.

Surprisingly, among the arrested suspects were five women, and the authorities seized two firearms from them. The arrests took place in various parts of the district, police sources confirmed on Monday.

Superintendent of Police, Ksh Shivakanta Singh, assured that a thorough investigation was underway, and anyone else found involved in the crime would face legal consequences.

The victim belonged to the Maring Naga community, and the Heikakmapal Village Development Committee declared the banishment of three accused from their locality as a response to the heinous act.

Meanwhile, a 12-hour shutdown was initiated at 6 am on Monday in areas inhabited by Naga people in Manipur. The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Nagas in Manipur, called for this shutdown as a form of protest against the killing. The UNC demanded a judicial inquiry into the murder and urged for “exemplary punishment” for the accused.

This unfortunate incident adds to the ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur. Since May 3, there have been severe clashes resulting in over 150 fatalities and several thousand injuries. The discord originated after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The population of Manipur comprises approximately 53 per cent Meiteis, mainly residing in the Imphal Valley, and 40 per cent Tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, residing in the hill districts. The situation remains tense as authorities try to manage and address the complexities of the ethnic divide in the region.