Violence Resurfaces in Manipur Despite Home Minister's Call for Peace

Dozens of houses were set on fire and gunfights raged between suspected militants and security forces in several districts of Manipur on Wednesday, shattering a daylong lull in violence as Union home minister Amit Shah went about his peace mission in the ethnic cauldron with visits to two relief camps. The state government extended the ban on internet services, clamped on May 3, till June 5. Meitei villagers and local leaders warned the Centre and Manipur government that they would form a “civilian defence force” to protect the people against repeated attacks by suspected Kuki militants if the authorities failed to stop the violence and take steps to restore peace in the state by Thursday.