Manipur unrest | Air India operates two special flights from Imphal to help stranded passengers

The aircraft from Imphal to Delhi had 159 passengers, including 10 babies. (Representative image)

Amid the ongoing conflict between the indigenous communities of Manipur, Air India provided special flights to and from Imphal on May 6 and 7 to assist stranded passengers and assure their safe return home.

Flight AI1889 went from Delhi to Imphal and returned on May 6th, departing at 12:35 p.m. The aircraft from Imphal to Delhi had 159 passengers including 10 babies.

The next day, on May 7, at 9:30 am, Air India conducted its second special flight, AI 1889, from Delhi to Imphal. The flight then went from Imphal to Guwahati and returned as a special flight before returning to Delhi at 6:45 pm. from Imphal.

In addition, to assist customers affected by the conflict, Air India has provided a 100 percent charge waiver on rescheduling and cancellation of all Air India flights to and from Manipur from May 4 to May 6, 2023.

Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata Group in January 2022 after being a government-owned company for 69 years.

Ethnic violence has swept Manipur in recent days, following a long history of mutual hostility between ethnic groups in the Imphal valley and its surrounding hills.

The rise of violence in Manipur stems from a more than 10-year-old demand by the Meitei group, which accounts for 53% of Manipur's population and predominantly lives in the Manipur Valley, to be put on the ST list.

On May 3, a protest march organised by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) held a solidarity march in all districts in opposition to the recent Manipur High Court order, which had asked the Manipur State government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.

On May 4, officials issued "shoot-at-sight" orders and requested military assistance to suppress the violence and safeguard the state from external attack or domestic problems. Following the outbreak of unrest on May 3, internet access was cut off, and curfews were enforced in nine of the sixteen districts.