In what has become a bad start to the New Year, the northeastern state of Manipur woke up to the new phase of darkness amidst the ongoing violence. The clashes between the two dominant communities of Kukis and Meiteis have been running high since the mid-2023 and the latest events of attacks had only fueled the crisis as the prospects for lasting peace and normalcy are not in sight. 

Manipur has been in the heat of intense fighting since May 2023 where a dispute sparked between Hindu-majority Meitei community and predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo community have led to tensions and turmoil. The people of both the communities have been engaging in a war-like-battle with weapons and firearms. In 2023, India has witnessed gruesome events of gangrape and sexual harassments against the Kuki women along with massive killings. 

Hundreds of people were killed and thousands of properties including religious places were destroyed. While majority of people guarded their territories using firearms, thousands of affected and displaced people were confined to camps. The flawed response and tepid intervention from both the state and centre ruling BJP governments had further worsened the violence in Manipur. 

As the scenes of violence were neither encouraging nor showing signs of mitigation, the Manipuris entered into the New Year only to have new beginnings of the violence. During the evening hours of Monday - January 1, armed miscreants opened fire that killed four people and injured 14 others. The incident has happened at Lilong Chingjao, which is a Muslim area in Manipur's Thoubal district. 

According to reports, the armed miscreants came to the spot wearing police uniforms in four vehicles and they opened fire at around 7.30 pm. Some of the injured people are critical and are being treated at Raj Medicity in Imphal. The incident has sparked tensions as the angry mob has burnt down two cars used by the miscreants. 

In the wake of the shooting, an indefinite curfew has been imposed in five districts in the Valley and additional forces have also been deployed to sensitive areas. Following a fresh wave of tensions, Chief Minister Biren Singh has condemned the violence and appealed to all the Manipuri Muslims and Meiteis to remain calm. 

In a video message, the Chief Minister said, "Police are working to arrest those behind the attack. They will be arrested soon and punished as per the law." In an another startling incident, at least four police commandos and a personnel of Border Security Force (BSF) have been injured in an attack by militants in the Moreh district of Manipur during the morning hours of Tuesday - January 2. The injured personnel have been admitted to RIMS Hospital in Imphal for further treatment.