Fresh violence keeps Manipur natives on tenterhooks

Dima (surname withheld) is eagerly waiting to visit her native state Manipur, which is on the boil, for the past one and a

half years.

However, the fresh round of arson and shooting incidents near Imphal have left her and hundreds like her worried for the safety of their near and dear ones.

Around 100-odd youngsters from Manipur are nestled in Patiala and residing around Bhupindra Road, Punjabi Bagh, Gian Colony and Model Town. Most of them work at salons or as tattoo artists and physical fitness instructors at gyms.

Dima, who works as a makeup artist at a luxury salon, said, “I am worried about my parents and relatives. They are still waiting for normalcy to return.”

“The clashes have split up neighbourhoods and torn apart bonds between the communities. There is open display and use of weapons to silence voices of dissent,” said Maneka, who has been residing in Patiala for the last decade.

“My father tells me that despite the presence of security forces, locals are voluntarily taking up arms. My elder brother is also part of the night vigil group to keep intruders at bay,” added Maneka.

Those from the northeast living in Patiala are a worried lot as they are unable to reach their families with lines of communication down as a result of the recent unrest in their state.

Parimal, who works as a marketing executive, said, “Sometimes it becomes difficult to reach out to the family. For the past two days, I have been unable to contact my family members. I urge the Centre to ensure safety of everyone in Manipur.”