India’s home minister visits site of major flare-up in ethnic violence as death toll soars to 80

India’s federal home minister Amit Shah is on a visit to the north-eastern Manipur state where ongoing ethnic clashes this month have killed at least 80 people.

The visit by the senior minister, who is prime minister Narendra Modi’s close aide, comes over three weeks after violence first broke out in the state that borders Myanmar.

On 3 May, violence erupted after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was called by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM).

The march was organised in protest against the demand for inclusion of the area’s majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, following a 19 April Manipur High Court directive.

Under Indian law some government jobs, college admissions and electoral seats – from village councils to parliament – are reserved for communities under the Scheduled Tribe category as a form of affirmative action to tackle historical structural inequality and discrimination.

The Kukis have opposed the Meitei community’s inclusion in the list, fearing opportunity and job loss due to the group’s demographically and politically advantageous position.

The widespread violence, displacement of people and destruction of property that followed in recent weeks has been described as one of the worst ethnic flare-ups in decades.

Mr Shah kicked off his three-day visit on Monday by visiting state capital Imphal to review the security situation and help restore peace in the state.

A state-wide internet ban has also been in place to stop the spread of misinformation.

Mr Shah is slated to hold a series of meetings with political and civil society leaders from both the Meitei and Kuki communities and visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst rioting on Tuesday, reported Press Trust of India (PTI).

Officials announced on Tuesday that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh (£9,730) each and a government job will be given to the families of those who died.

The decision was taken at a meeting between Mr Shah and chief minister N Biren Singh on Monday night.

The death toll from clashes has gone up to 80, officials said.

The two leaders also decided to ensure that essential items such as petrol, LPG, rice and other food products will be made available in large quantities to cool down prices.

A home ministry spokesperson said Mr Shah also held a meeting with the delegation of different civil society organisations in Imphal on Tuesday.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Singh said 40 Kuki insurgents were killed by government troops. It was not clear whether the figure was part of the overall death toll.

“The fight is not between communities, it is between Kuki rebels and government security forces,” Mr Singh told reporters.

According to PTI, clashes occurred after security forces began searching for weapons looted from police stations to curb the violence.

Sapam Ranjan, a state government spokesperson, said violence was seen in some villages on Sunday, reported the Associated Press.

Troops also fired in the air and lobbed teargas shells to disperse a mob that attempted to take weapons from a police station near Imphal, he said.

He added 1,041 guns and 7,500 rounds of ammunition have been looted in recent weeks.

Meanwhile in Delhi, hundreds of Kuki women gathered at Jantar Manar – the national capital’s designated protest site – on Monday and demanded imposition of president’s rule in the state.

“When I woke up this morning, I saw our chief minister has said Kukis are terrorists... We have been made homeless in our own home,” one of the protesters said from a dais, reported the Nagaland Post.

“We are Indians, our forefathers have been freedom fighters,” another protester added amid chants of “We Are Indians” from the crowd.

“We are not illegal immigrants,” she said.

Also on Tuesday, a delegation from the opposition Congress party submitted a memorandum to president Draupadi Murmu.

“A high-level inquiry commission should be constituted headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge,” the party said.

“The Union government must immediately take all possible measures to control and confine all militant groups and ensure that all armed civilian groups be stopped forthwith by taking appropriate action.”