NEW DELHI: A mob has stormed the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Manipur’s Imphal after a Myanmar national with bullet injuries was taken there for treatment, local media reported on Friday.
People gathered outside the medical institute after rumors surfaced that the patient belonged to the Kuki-Zo community.
Manipur has been plagued by deadly ethnic clashes between the majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis since May 3. AT least 200 people have died and nearly 60,000 persons have been forced to flee their homes because of the deadly violence.
Imphal, is dominated by Meiteis where the medical institute is located. The community has been claiming that the conflict in Manipur is being triggered by Kuki-Zo militants from Myanmar.
According to the officials the injured Myanmarese citizen, identified as Khoantum, was a resident of Thanan village. Later he died of his injuries in the hospital. According to the Assam Rifles, he had been wounded in the civil war in Myanmar and came to the Manipur region for medical aid.
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On November 12, clashes started between the Myanmar Army and the pro-democracy militia as they tried to capture key towns, military bases and trade routes near the international border with India’s Mizoram region.
The militia is fighting the military junta that came to power following a coup in February 2021. Because of this, Myanmar citizens fled the country and sought refuge in India, especially Mizoram.
According to the state police, more than 5,000 people have taken refuge in two villages of along the Myanmar border since the violence began.
Since February 2021, nearly 40,000 Chin refugees from Myanmar have crossed into Manipur and Mizoram areas.
