35 Students From Bengal Brought Back From Violence-Hit Manipur

On Wednesday, a senior official reported that 35 students from West Bengal were flown in a special flight from violence-hit Manipur, arriving at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata around 8 pm on Tuesday. The state government arranged the special flight as part of ongoing evacuation efforts, bringing the total number of people evacuated from Manipur to 60, including 53 students.

The 35 students hail from various districts of West Bengal, such as Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Malda, Paschim Bardhaman, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Kolkata. Thirteen of the students were studying at the National Sports University in Manipur, 14 at NIT Manipur, three at IIIT Imphal, and five at RIMS. The official also confirmed that transit accommodation and onward journeys were arranged for them.

Violent clashes erupted in Manipur following a "Tribal Solidarity March" held on May 3 in the ten hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The clashes were preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Manipur's population consists mainly of Meiteis, who account for approximately 53% and live predominantly in the Imphal Valley, while Nagas and Kukis, the two major tribes, make up approximately 40% of the population and reside in the hill districts.