Imphal: After nearly three months of Manipur ethnic conflict, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) is set to bury the deceased members belonging to Kuki-Zo community in Churachandpur district on Thursday.
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According to ITLF, the final tribute to the Kuki-Zo tribal martyrs is scheduled to be held at 11 am onwards in Peace Ground, Tuibong and the mortal remains of the members will be laid to rest at Haolai Khopi.
“Brothers. Sisters. Martyrs. Your blood sanctifies our land and justifies our cause. We salute and honour you with all that we are. For now, rest in the soil of our forefathers. Final Tribute to the Martyrs- 3rd August, 2023, it added,” ITLF tweeted.
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According to sources, there are at least 30-35 bodies who were killed in the ethnic violence are lying at Churachandpur district hospital morgue. However, the exact number of dead bodies belonging to Kuki-Zo community which are still lying in Imphal are yet to be confirmed.
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The ethnic crisis in Manipur which first erupted on May 3 after the Tribal Solidarity March organised by All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has claimed over 120 lives and have left thousands of people homeless, both from the Kuki-Zo and Meiteis communities.
The situation in Manipur continue to be volatile and tense even after the deployment of heavy security forces in vulnerable areas across the state.
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On Monday, around 17 houses at Kanan Veng opposite Kekru Pat in Imphal West were burnt down. However, according to the police, the cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. Fire service and district police managed to control the fire and prevented further damage, it said.
The incident reportedly took place at around 10 pm, when a Kutcha house in Kanan Veng suddenly caught fire, soon spreading to other houses, reported Newmai News Network.
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