Guwahati: In a tragic incident that adds to the scars of ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, an 8-year-old boy and two family members were killed when their ambulance was set ablaze.
The incident occurred in the Iroisemba area of Imphal West, under the jurisdiction of the Lamphel police station.
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The victims have been identified as 8-year-old Tonsing Hangsing, his mother Meena Hangsing, and their relative Lydia Lourembam. The ambulance was en route to the hospital, carrying the injured boy who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head during a shoot-out.
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According to police and army sources, the family, consisting of a Meitei mother married to a Kuki man, and their son, had been residing in an Assam Rifles relief camp in Kangchup. Despite being in the camp, the child was struck by a bullet during a gunfight that erupted in the area on Sunday evening.
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Upon receiving the information, a senior Assam Rifles officer coordinated with the police in Imphal and arranged for an ambulance. As the mother belonged to the majority community, the decision was made to transport the child by road to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal.
The ambulance initially received an escort from Assam Rifles for a few kilometres until local police took over. Tragically, the vehicle was ambushed by civilians and set on fire around 6:30 pm in the Isoisemba area. All three individuals inside the ambulance were killed in the attack.
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The Kangchup area, located near the border between Kangpokpi district and Imphal West, is home to several Kuki villages and lies in close proximity to the Meitei village of Phayeng. This region has experienced intensified violence during the second wave of clashes that erupted across Manipur since May 27.
In response to the ongoing incidents of arson, the local government has extended an internet ban for an additional five days to restore calm. The ban was initially imposed on May 3 following violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the state.
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The ethnic violence in Manipur stems from clashes between tribal groups and the majority Meitei community over economic benefits and quotas granted to the tribes. Concerns have arisen among tribal communities about the possible extension of these benefits to the Meiteis, leading to riots and ethnic clashes since early May.
The relentless violence has already claimed the lives of at least 80 individuals and displaced around 35,000 people in Manipur.