The situation in Manipur, which has been plagued by violence, deteriorated further on Thursday as the state's Home Department authorised all District Magistrates to issue "shoot at sight orders" in extreme cases. This directive was issued in response to violent clashes that occurred at various locations during a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised on Wednesday by the All Tribal Students' Union of Manipur (ATSUM). The march was held to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, following a Manipur High Court ruling on April 19. This development has rekindled an old ethnic conflict in the state between the Meitei community residing in the plains and the hill tribes. The situation remains tense, with reports of sporadic incidents of violence and clashes between various groups. Security personnel have been deployed across the state to maintain law and order.
