In Manipur, where random acts of violence continue to occur, another home was set on fire the day before classes resumed. After a member of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) stopped rioters from stealing weapons from the police arsenal, a crowd in Manipur’s Thoubal district set fire to his home.
The event happened on Tuesday night in Samaram when a 27-year-old man named Ronaldo was murdered in a skirmish when a crowd of 700 to 800 people attempted to rush the 3rd IRB camp in Wangbal to steal weapons from the police armory.
Forces sought to manage the situation by using tear gas shells and rubber bullets, but the agitators remained unabated. According to authorities, the military returned fire as soon as the armed crowd started firing.
The crowd attempted to close off many of the roads leading to the IRB camp in an effort to stop reinforcements from getting there, but the soldiers got through. A team of Assam Rifles was ambushed while on route to the camp, and one of its members was wounded in the leg. Additionally, their vehicle was set on fire.
According to sources speaking to PTI, the IRB soldier whose home was burned down was only doing his job when he stopped the rioters from robbing the police weapons depot. He was a member of the IRB team that was manning the armory.
The crowd took Ronaldo to the Thoubal district hospital, but because of his poor condition, he was subsequently transferred to an Imphal hospital. He passed away en route. Ten more people were hurt in the fighting, and six of them were sent to an Imphal hospital with critical wounds, according to authorities.
Back to school For Manipur
Schools in all of Manipur reopened on Wednesday after the Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s instruction to do so, despite the continuous violence and turmoil. The ethnic tensions caused more than two months of school closures.
Children and their parents are relieved that schools have resumed in the state, despite the worry that things may become worse at any time.
The father of a class 4 kid, Bhabesh Sharma, hoped that everything would return to normal so that school could resume.”I’m wishing for the best. I genuinely hope that peace returns to the state because education is the key, he said, adding that student safety is still a top priority.
The dad of a class 5 kid, Laishram Ibochouba, expressed appreciation for the government’s choice but encouraged it to take steps to ensure the children’ safety. “I hope the government takes precautions for student safety in the event of any unfavorable events.
“Because the institution is located right in the middle of Imphal, I have no qualms about sending my children there. However, it would be fantastic if the government took steps to ensure students’ security, he said.