GUWAHATI, India — Ethnic groups in various regions of India’s northeastern state took to action on Tuesday by shutting down schools and businesses in a day of protest over the tragic deaths of ten individuals due to clashes with paramilitary forces.

They organized an 11-hour strike across the hill districts of Manipur, commencing at 5 a.m. Reports indicated heavy gunfire echoed overnight around the hilly areas and the Imphal Valley.

The shutdown led to significant disruption, with businesses and educational institutions closing their doors and residents remaining indoors, effectively rendering roads empty of traffic.

According to the Manipur state police, the deceased were described as “armed militants,” asserting that soldiers opened fire in defense after the militants launched an attack on their stationed post near Jiribam district.

Reports indicate that one soldier sustained a bullet wound and was promptly sent to a hospital for medical care, as noted in a police statement.

Conversely, the Tribal Leaders’ Forum contested this characterization, claiming that all individuals who lost their lives were local volunteers from the Hmar community. They were engaged in patrol duties to safeguard their tribal villages following a recent incident that resulted in a woman’s death due to armed conflict.

The police contended that their troops responded decisively to the militant attack, with an intense exchange of gunfire lasting about 45 minutes. The police statement detailed how a search initiated in the aftermath led to the discovery of ten deceased individuals classified as armed militants, along with advanced automatic weaponry.

The state of Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic strife since May of the previous year, primarily between the Meitei community, which constitutes the majority, and the minority Kuki-Zo group. The Meiteis predominantly inhabit the capital city of Imphal and the neighboring districts, while the Kuki-Zos reside in the hilly regions.

Since the onset of the ethnic conflict, approximately 250 lives have been lost, and around 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

The Meiteis are advocating for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe, a status that would grant them access to increased benefits, such as government job quotas and educational advantages. However, this designation could restrict land ownership for non-Meiteis in the Meitei-dominated areas of the Imphal Valley.

In opposition, the Kuki community argues that such benefits are reserved for tribes classified as economically and educationally backward. They assert that the Meiteis, being a more developed community, do not qualify for Scheduled Tribe status.