* The prime minister made the announcement after chairing an all-party meeting on the prevailing situation in the areas affected by the violence.
* Clashes erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the ten hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled tribe (ST) state.
* Violence first erupted in Torbung area of Churachandpur district during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized by Manipur Tribal Students Union (ATSUM) on Wednesday to protest Meiteis’ application for Scheduled Tribe status (ST). The march was organized by the tribals after the Manipur High Court last month asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Center within four weeks on the Metei community’s application for ST status.
* The Meitei make up about 53% of the population of Manipur and live mainly in the Imphal Valley. The tribals – Nagas and Kukis – make up another 40 per cent of the population and live mainly in the hill districts.
* However, unofficial sources put the death toll at over a hundred and the number of injured at nearly 200.
* Nearly 10,000 armed, para-military and central police forces have been deployed to the rioting state following demonstrations Wednesday staged by tribals – including Kukis and Nagas – against a move to give the majority Meitei community status of programmed tribe.
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Manipur violence: Why tribal groups are up in arms against Meiteis and what sparked the latest round of unrest in the state
* The security presence which has been strengthened in Manipur with the deployment of more army troops and central police force, was clearly visible in all major roads and areas.
* Numerous makeshift camps at various government buildings have been set up for refugees from the riots that broke out both in the Imphal valley and in the surrounding hill districts.
* Security forces set up checkpoints and cordons in areas where various militant groups who appear to have joined the ethnic uprising engaged security forces with gunfire on Friday night.
* Of the 54 officially reported dead, 16 bodies were kept in the mortuary of Churachandpur district hospital while 15 bodies were in the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East district, officials said.
* Trains to Manipur have been canceled with immediate effect from Friday due to the prevalence in the state, a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesman said.
* While most governments of neighboring states have initiated actions to help and rescue people from their state who study or travel to Manipur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday also said efforts were underway to evacuate people of the state blocked in violence-stricken Manipur.
(With agency input)
