Protests over the killing of civilians intensified in Manipur on Wednesday, with a mob attempting to storm an event attended by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam in Imphal West, while shutdowns paralysed parts of the state amid renewed ethnic tensions.
Security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters at the Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium, where the chief minister and home minister were attending the inauguration of the first Manipur State Poomsae Taekwondo Championship. Delegates from South Korea were also present at the event, officials said. At least three protesters were injured during the confrontation and taken to a nearby hospital.
The unrest came as a bandh called in Kangpokpi district over the killing of a 45-year-old Kuki man brought normal life to a standstill. It coincided with the second and final day of a 48-hour shutdown in the Imphal Valley, called in protest against the killing of three Meitei men in an ambush in Imphal East on Monday.
Protesters demand action from chief minister
The protesters who gathered outside the stadium demanded that the chief minister and home minister address the deteriorating law and order situation instead of attending a sporting event while civilians continued to be killed.
Security personnel used several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd after protesters attempted to enter the venue. At least three people sustained injuries in the action and were taken to a nearby hospital, officials said.
The unrest later spread to Khurai Lamlong in Imphal East, where another group of protesters assembled to press their demands. Police again resorted to tear gas shells, smoke grenades and stun bombs to disperse the crowd.
Two people were injured in the second confrontation, including a woman who was reportedly struck on her right foot by a stun grenade. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, while tension continued in the area, police officers said on condition of anonymity.
The demonstrations followed mounting public anger over the killings and demands for the authorities to take stronger action to protect civilians.
Three arrested over ambush that killed Meitei men
The latest protests followed an ambush on October 19, when militants attacked a group of 14 Meitei men collecting firewood in the Sunurok hills of Kangpokpi district. Three men were killed in the attack, with the victims' families alleging that the assailants belonged to the Kuki community.
Additional Director General of Police Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo said three people had been arrested in connection with the killings. Two of the arrested men had admitted to being part of the group involved in the attack, he said.
“The role of the third arrested man in this heinous crime is being probed, and the investigation is on to identify the others who are involved in the case,” Lhatoo said.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed following the killings, has demanded that the government take action against everyone involved before the bodies are accepted. The committee announced a one-day cease-work protest for Thursday, with sit-ins planned at various locations.
It also appealed to schools, colleges and other institutions to support the protest, intensifying pressure on the state government to ensure accountability for the killings.
Shutdown disrupts daily life across Imphal Valley
Normal life remained affected across the five districts of the Imphal Valley during the 48-hour shutdown called by the Native Peoples Committee Manipur over the killings. Markets remained closed, public transport stayed off the roads and educational institutions were shut.
The protests had escalated on Monday, when demonstrators brought two bodies to the main gate of the chief minister's residence to protest what they described as the government's failure to protect civilians. Security forces fired tear gas shells after the crowd breached security and parked a truck carrying the bodies outside the residence.
The demonstrations also targeted political representatives. Protesters burnt effigies of Rajya Sabha MP A Sharda Devi and Home Minister Konthoujam at Khabeisoi in Imphal East.
Meira Paibi activists later assembled outside Devi's residence in Brahmapur, questioning what they described as her silence over the killings. The protesters left after Devi assured them during a video call that their demands would be conveyed to the government.
Abandoned houses set ablaze in Kamjong
In a separate incident on Wednesday, around 15 abandoned houses were set on fire at Khoikai village in Kamjong district. The village has remained deserted since April following clashes between Naga and Kuki communities.
The incidents underline the continuing security challenges in Manipur, where ethnic tensions and attacks on civilians have repeatedly triggered protests, shutdowns and demands for government intervention.
With the JAC announcing further demonstrations on Thursday and protesters demanding accountability for the recent killings, pressure is mounting on the state government to address the law and order situation and prevent further violence.