In central Imphal near the overbridge, police gave the crowd 10 minutes to disperse, but when they refused, clashes broke out.
Tension gripped Manipur’s capital, Imphal, on Saturday as clashes broke out during a protest march organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI). Several people were reported injured as security forces tried to stop the rally from moving forward.
The march began around 1 pm from eight different locations across the city, with protestors planning to head towards Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s official residence. However, the situation turned tense at multiple points when security personnel blocked their path, leading to confrontations.
In central Imphal, particularly near the overbridge area, police reportedly asked the crowd to disperse within 10 minutes. When the protestors refused, clashes followed. Incidents of violence were also reported from busy market areas such as Ima Keithel and Alu Gali.
To control the situation, security forces used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Several protestors were detained during the operation. Authorities also recovered slings and catapults from some individuals who were reportedly hiding in the Ima Keithel area.
To control the situation, security forces used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Several protestors were detained during the operation. Authorities also recovered slings and catapults from some individuals who were reportedly hiding in the Ima Keithel area.
The unrest disrupted normal life in the city, with markets shutting down early in the day.
COCOMI had organised the rally to press for answers from the government on several issues. These include allegations of a “proxy war”, concerns over narco-terrorism, recent killings, and a demand for a judicial inquiry into a CRPF firing incident that left three people dead.
The group has also been seeking the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the scrapping of the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki insurgent groups.
