The Supreme Court on Monday sought an updated status report from the Manipur government on the relief camps for violence affected people, steps taken to curb violence, recovery of arms and law and order, as the court was told that the “situation is improving but slowly.”

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, and Justice Manoj Misra sought an updated status report as petitioner NGO Manipur Tribal Forum told the court that the attacks on Kuki tribals were unabated and so far, 110 tribals have been killed including a case of beheading.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on July 10.

At the outset of the hearing senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for the petitioner NGO Manipur Tribal Forum told the bench that the situation in Manipur has worsened as death count that was initially 10 to 11 people has now touched 110 with two Kuki tribals killed yesterday night and one beheaded.

Telling the court that he can provide with the list of 110 tribal killed in the violence with their names and the villages they belonged to, senior advocate Gonsalves said that all the violence was being perpetuated by two groups backed by the State.

“Last night, three tribals were killed and one was beheaded, first beheading of tribals. These are the Meities. They are the dominant group… The Kukis are not attacking. The Kukis are in the villages defending. The armed groups are crossing the lines. Army released two press statements saying women gather in large numbers and stop the army and they are not allowed to do their duty and protect the people,” Gonsalves told the bench.

Pointing to inaction by the State against those involved in the violence, Gonsalves told the bench that one leader from the Meitei group appeared in a programme hosted by Karan Thapar and gave open threats against Kukis.

Stating that the Manipur government is not treating it as an “adversarial” matter and urging that giving it a “communal angle” as Christians being attacked be avoided, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that they were treating it as an issue of “human beings.”

Pointing to the improvement in the situation, the Solicitor General said that curfew has been reduced to 5 hours a day.

The Solicitor General Mehta told the bench about the steps that have been taken to deal with the situation on the ground including deployment of civil police, Manipur commandos, Indian reserve battalions and 114 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are among those deployed in violence affected areas in Manipur.

A lawyer appearing for a Meities organisation, said that there should be an investigation into the source of assault weapons and the militant groups behind the violence.

“The suspicion is that the militants have come out of the shelters and are fighting, otherwise how will you explain the assault weapons. There should be a headcount of the militants. The Union of India should look into this aspect,” he said.

The Manipur Tribal Forum has in an application has sought handing over to the army the law-and-order situation in certain areas and villages inhabited by the Kuki tribe for their protection.

The Manipur violence that started in early May has witnessed scores of killings and displacement of thousands of people.

The top court had on May 8, during a hearing on Manipur violence had expressed concern over the loss of lives and property including religious places during the violence involving Meitei and Kuki communities.