As per reports, the latest situational updates in Manipur as of Sunday (31 December) are as follows:
• On Saturday (30 December), a fresh incidence of violence was reported between Meitei and Kuki groups in Kangpokpi district, resulting in one casualty.
• The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki organization, claimed the gunfight started over the protection of forestland.
• In a separate incident, a convoy of Manipur police commandos was attacked by militants on the Imphal-Moreh highway, injuring one commando. The unidentified militants also threw explosives at the convoy.
• The gunmen reportedly targeted vehicles carrying police commandos when they were moving towards Key Location Point (KLP) from Moreh.
• Reportedly, the police have arrested Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, the editor of the vernacular daily Kangleipaki Meira, for allegedly publishing provocative news. The charges against Shyamjai include the intent to cause a riot and to outrage religious sentiment.