IMPHAL: There were firing at five places yesterday amidst the ongoing violence in Manipur. The government said the security forces have retaliated strongly. No casualties have been reported yet. Nine weapons were seized from different places in the search conducted. Meantime, the Meiti community has written to the Prime Minister demanding that Manipur should not be divided and the demand of a separate state should not be accepted. The Meiti community sent the letter when the Kuki community were to hold talks with Home Minister Amit Shah today.

The firing took place at five places while the Supreme Court directly intervened in the Manipur conflict. The Supreme Court started the peace process by forming a committee of three women judges. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud stated that the first task is to restore public confidence in the rule of law.

Former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Geeta Mittal is the Chairperson of the three-member committee. The other members are Asha Menon, former Delhi High Court judge and a Malayali, and Shalini Joshi, former Bombay High Court judge. The decision of the bench comprising the Chief Justice came after seeking an explanation from Manipur DGP Rajeev Singh who appeared in the Supreme Court. The court rejected the request to transfer the cases outside Manipur.