Strife-torn Manipur has not reported a single case of ethnic clashes, gunfights or killings for 41 days now, officials on the ground said on Sunday, adding that this is the longest lull in violence since May 3, 2023 – the day clashes broke out in the state last year.

While Manipur is still divided on ethnic lines with security forces continuing to guard the buffer zones to separate tribals and non-tribals from launching attacks against each other, security forces attributed the temporary peace in the state to two possible reasons – abduction of a senior police officer by radical group Arambai Tenggol (AT) on February 27, which they believe has united the police force, and secondly, the security arrangements in place ahead of the general elections.

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“After Manipur additional SP Moirangthem Amit Singh’s abduction on February 27, there has not been a single case of killings or clashes. The abduction united the police force. If it could happen to an SP, it could happen to anyone. A day after the kidnapping, Manipur commandos, who were otherwise accused of bias by tribal groups, also laid down their arms in protest. Actually, most police officers were not happy with AT right from the start but their hands were tied. What they needed was support from the bosses in the police and political establishment. This came after the abduction,” an officer from a central security force posted in Manipur said.

A day after the abduction, police commandos met chief minister Biren Singh over the threat to their lives while on the job.

On the evening of February 27, Singh along with another police officer was kidnapped from outside his house in Imphal West by AT members. While Manipur police did not share details of the rescue, officials aware of the case said Singh was dropped outside a hospital two hours later, after police vowed “war” if the officer was not released.

Following Singh’s rescue, Manipur police on February 29 called out the AT for its role in abduction and other crimes. Until then police were naming the accused only as “miscreants”.

The police statement said, “AT is engaging in anti-social activities like assaulting civilians, snatching vehicles and also indulging in extortion. They are also garnering false support from the public in the garb of protecting them.”

Two days before the SP’s abduction, ethnic clashes were reported from Imphal-Kangpokpi buffer zone areas on February 24 and 25. However there were no fatalities. Before this on February 13, two people were killed while one junior commissioned officer of the army was injured in firing due to the ethnic clashes. A Meitei man had died in the firing at Khamenlok on February 13. Hours later, a tribal man, Demkhogin Khongsai was killed at Satang in Saikul area. On February 13, mobs supported by Arambai Tenggol had stormed into the armoury of the 5 India Reserve Battalion and looted arms and ammunition from the armoury.

To be sure, Manipur has reported two killings in these last 41 days but they were not a result of ethnic violence. Two Kuki men were killed in Motbung Bazar on March 10. The two were killed by Kuki militants in the town area where Meiteis cannot enter due to security reasons.

Last month, there were gunshots fired between police and militants on March 18 and 19 in Ukhrul during election campaigning of Congress Lok Sabha candidate Alfred Kanngam Arthur but officials denied this was an ethnic clash and pointed to the role of Naga militant groups. Also Arthur is neither a Meitei nor a Kuki.

Before this current phase of 41 days, for 26 days between December 4 and 30 last year, no person died in ethnic violence. However there were sporadic incidents of firing reported.

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A second paramilitary force officer, who asked not to be named, said, “Even Kuki groups are on the back foot. They are equally responsible for the violence. They also do not want to cause trouble at the time of elections as it could fall back onto them because of the security. We believe this is a temporary peace. The state is still divided. Meitei and Kuki groups continue to live in different parts of the state. AT is also on the back foot because the additional SP’s father Dr M Kulachandra is a noted doctor and Samaritan. The doctor is well known in the Meitei community. The AT made the mistake of abducting a serving police officer, who happens to be the son of a local luminary.”

At least 219 people have died in the ethnic clashes between Meitei and Kuki groups in Manipur. Over 50,000 have been rendered homeless.

Voting for the two Manipur Lok Sabha constituencies will be held in two phases on April 19 and 26.