‘Urgent attention’: Ex-Indian Army chief on retired officer's ‘like in Syria’ tweet over Manipur

Former Indian Army chief general (retired) Ved Prakash Malik has called for “urgent attention” to the situation in Manipur which saw a spurt in violence as riotous mobs combatted Rapid Action Force, set up flaming roadblocks and torched properties in the heart of Imphal town on Friday. The ethnic violence between the Meiteis and the Kuki tribe in Manipur continues despite the Centre and state government's appeals for peace.

Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh and Union home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter, general Malik asked for “urgent attention at the highest level”.

The former army chief was responding to a tweet by lieutenant general (retired) L Nishikanta Singh, a resident of Imphal, claiming that “the state is now stateless”.

“I'm just an ordinary Indian from Manipur living a retired life. The state is now 'stateless'. Life and property can be destroyed anytime by anyone just like in Libya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Syria, etc. It appears Manipur has been left to stew in its own juice. Is anyone listening ?” lieutenant general Singh tweeted.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Union minister RK Ranjan Singh's house attacked

On Thursday night, a house belonging to Union minister RK Ranjan Singh was attacked and attempts were made to burn it down. A warehouse near the royal palace belonging to a retired tribal IAS officer was burnt down completely.

Security guards and firefighters managed to control arson attempts by the mob and save the house of the minister of state for external affairs from being gutted on Thursday night.

On Friday evening, a mob clashed with RAF personnel after it had set the warehouse afire. The group also burnt tyres, logs and waste in the middle of streets in Wangkhei, Porompat and Thangapat areas affecting the flow of traffic in Manipur’s capital town, news agency PTI reported.

At least nine people were killed and 10 injured when suspected miscreants attacked a village in the Khamenlok area of the state in the early hours of Wednesday.

Over 100 killed in Manipur

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out a month ago, PTI reported.

(With inputs from agencies)