Tension escalated in Manipur on Wednesday as protesters demonstrating against the killing of three Meitei men clashed with police outside a sports complex in Imphal, where Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam were attending an event.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators after a group of women attempted to storm the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex. Three people sustained minor injuries during the confrontation, an officer said.
The protests followed an October 19 attack in the Sunurok hills of Kangpokpi district, where militants ambushed 14 Meitei men who had gone to collect firewood, killing three of them.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐
The confrontation took place outside the venue of the first Manipur Poomsae Taekwondo Championship, which was being attended by the Chief Minister, the Home Minister and delegates from South Korea.
The protesters questioned the participation of senior government leaders in a sporting event while the state was grappling with the aftermath of the killings.
They alleged that the government was failing to adequately address the deteriorating law and order situation and demanded accountability for the attack.
As the demonstrators attempted to enter the complex, police intervened and used tear gas to bring the situation under control.
๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐๐
In a separate demonstration at Khabeisoi in Imphal East district, protesters burnt effigies of Rajya Sabha MP A Sharda Devi and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam.
Several members of Meira Paibi, a women's activist movement in Manipur, also gathered outside Sharda Devi's residence at Brahmapur in Imphal East.
The demonstrators questioned the MP's alleged silence over the killings and sought her intervention.
They subsequently dispersed after Devi assured them through a video call that their demands would be conveyed to the government.
๐ฐ๐ด-๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ
Normal life remained affected across all five Imphal Valley districts as a 48-hour shutdown called by the Native People Committee Manipur continued on Wednesday.
The shutdown, which began at midnight on Tuesday, was called to protest the killing of the three Meitei men.
Markets remained closed and public transport stayed off the roads in several areas, disrupting commercial activity and daily movement.
Meanwhile, police reported that four daily-wage workers were allegedly manhandled near Pechi village in Thoubal district on Tuesday by miscreants claiming to be volunteers enforcing the shutdown.
One of the workers sustained injuries in the incident.
"Upon receiving information about the incident, police promptly responded and rescued all four individuals and registered a suo moto case," a senior officer said.
๐๐๐ต๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐
Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence between the valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki communities since May 2023.
The conflict has claimed at least 306 lives, while several people remain missing.
Separately, clashes involving Kuki and Naga communities since February this year have resulted in approximately 50 deaths.
The latest killings have renewed tensions in the state, with protesters demanding stronger security measures and action against those responsible for the attack.