Inter-tribe clash breaks out in Ukhrul

Tensions that flared in Litan area of Manipur’s Ukhrul district following an altercation involving youths of two villages on Saturday night escalated into an inter-village clash that broke out on Sunday.
Police had resorted to firing several rounds of tear gas shells to take control of the clash that reportedly erupted this Sunday evening.
The clash reportedly continued till the time of filing of this report. Further details could not be culled out at the time of filing this report.
The fresh tension flared in the Litan area of Ukhrul district after a physical altercation among some youths from Sareikhong village and Shikibung village on Saturday night. Sareikhong is Tangkhul village while Kuki tribe dominated Shikibung village.
Historically there were tensions between the two villages driven by land disputes, ethnic conflicts, and, more recently, issues stemming from the ongoing violence crisis.
This time, the tension was sparked by a physical altercation involving some youths of the two villages on Saturday night in which Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Ukhrul district alleged involvement of a few intoxicated individuals from both villages.
According to the Litan Sareikhong Village Authority, the incident occurred at Litan Sareikhong village when a scuffle between a few intoxicated individuals belonging to the Tangkhul and Kuki tribes broke out at around 8.30 pm.
A Tangkhul youth named AS Sterling son of AS Paoshim was injured in last night’s altercation.
After the family of the injured person approached the chief of Sareikhong village, there was discussion Saturday night in which both parties mutually agreed to resolve the matter through customary means with a meeting on Sunday.
However, the proposed meeting did not take place after a group of heavily armed villagers from Sikibung village allegedly launched a violent attack on the residence of chief of Litan Sareikhong.
On the other hand, strongly condemning what was happening in the Litan area, the KSO Ukhrul district alleged that the violent mob attack was carried out on Litan Sareikhong village by certain villagers of Shikibung.
“The incident is deeply regrettable and has caused unnecessary fear, damage, and disruption to communal harmony,” the statement read. The statement put on record that the incident originated from a minor altercation involving a few intoxicated individuals from both villages.
The matter was already being addressed peacefully and customarily through the established village authority of Litan Sareikhong in consultation with the family of the injured person.
“Such customary mechanisms have long served as effective and respected means of conflict resolution in our society,” the KSO said.
The decision to resort to mob violence despite these ongoing efforts was unjustified and unacceptable.
Collective punishment and violent retaliation only escalate tensions and undermine the very fabric of peaceful coexistence between neighboring villages, it pointed out.
“We appeal strongly to the general public, civil society, and all concerned authorities to exercise restraint and responsibility, and not to communalize or misrepresent the incident,” the KSO statement read.
This was not a communal issue, and any attempt to portray it as such will only inflame sentiments and obstruct justice, it reiterated.
The KSO also urged the concerned authorities to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry, ensure accountability for those involved in the violence, and take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
“Peace, dialogue, and respect for customary and legal processes must prevail over anger and misinformation,” it added.