Churachandpur, February 6: Violent clashes between protesters and security forces continued for a second consecutive night in parts of Manipur’s Churachandpur district, prompting authorities to tighten security and impose movement restrictions as a precautionary measure, officials said.
Normal life was severely disrupted on Friday following a 24-hour “total shutdown” called by the Kuki Students’ Organisation Churachandpur (KSO-CCP) to protest the participation of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the formation of the Manipur Popular Government. Markets remained shut, vehicular movement was minimal, and educational institutions and government offices recorded poor attendance.
The impact of the shutdown was most pronounced in the Tuibong area, where tension remained high. Bandh supporters were seen stopping vehicles and damaging windshields at several locations in the district headquarters town. Authorities deployed additional security personnel at strategic points to prevent further escalation.
Later in the day, the KSO-CCP announced that the shutdown had been temporarily lifted to facilitate a mass public rally organised by the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), jointly with the ITLF Women Wing. Thousands gathered at the Wall of Remembrance in Tuibong, Lamka, to voice strong opposition to the participation of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the government. During the rally, effigies of three MLAs - Nemcha Kipgen, L M Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate - were burnt as a mark of dissent.
Similar rallies were reported from Kuki-dominated areas of Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi, indicating widespread anger across the region.
The situation deteriorated soon after the rally when hundreds of protesters marched towards the Churachandpur police station area and were stopped by security forces near Silemat, close to the residence of MLA Ngursanglur Sanate. Protesters burned tyres and raised slogans, prompting security forces to fire repeated rounds of tear gas to disperse the crowd. Despite this, protesters continued to hold their ground, with more people reportedly joining the agitation at the time of filing this report.
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Tensions had already escalated on Thursday evening near the Tuibong Forest Gate, where stone-pelting by mobs led to baton charges and tear gas shelling by security forces. The violence, which began around 6 pm, continued intermittently until about 3 am on Friday, underscoring the fragile law-and-order situation in the district.
