GUWAHATI: Hundreds of enraged students clashed with police in Imphal Monday following the killing of a retired havildar and a woman the night before in a resurgence of violence that has claimed 11 lives since Sept 1.
The unrest in the state escalated into large-scale protests, shifting the epicentre of violence to Manipur‘s Raj Bhavan as students demanded action against those responsible and called for the resignation of top officials.
Police fired tear gas shells, leading to several injuries. Protesters retaliated with stones, resulting in injuries to cops and security personnel.
A security source confirmed that the body of ex-havildar Limkholal Mate, of Motbung in Kangpokpi district, was found in Sekmai, Imphal West. He was suspected to have been beaten to death. Nengjakhol Haokip (50) was killed by splinters in an arson attack in Thangbuh village, Kangpokpi, prompting CRPF personnel to retaliate.
Protests break out in 3 Manipur districts
The retired havildar had entered Sekmai only Sunday night. Haokip’s village, Thangbuh, was partially burned in an attack.
In response to the deteriorating situation, Manipur govt ordered the closure of schools and colleges for Monday and Tuesday. However, students defied the shutdown, marching to Raj Bhavan, shouting slogans such as “Long Live Manipur” and “resign all incompetent MLAs”, while demanding peace.
Carrying a banner that read, “Save Manipur for we are Indians, otherwise leave Manipur alone”, the protesters called for the resignations of the DGP and state’s security adviser. They also demanded that the unified command’s control be transferred from the Union home ministry to the CM and called for the immediate removal of Assam Rifles and other central forces from Manipur. The students also urged the 50 non-Kuki-Zo MLAs to take a stand or resign.
Similar protests broke out in Thoubal district, and thousands of locals in Kakching district held a mass rally against recent civilian killings.
The ongoing conflict has seen the deployment of weaponised drones and long-range crude rockets, adding to the chaos.
Manipur police said cadres from militant groups, including those that signed “suspension of operations” agreements or peace deals with the Centre, were involved in the violence. They identified six bodies recovered after a gunbattle between warring groups in Jiribam district.
The slain included Seiminlen Khongsai, Haogoulen Doungel, and Nehboithang Haokip, all members of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), a group under Kuki National Organisation, which had signed a peace deal with govt in 2008. A member of United National Liberation Front’s Pambei faction, Baspatimayum Lakhi Kumar Sharma, was also among the dead.
Police identified the fifth body as that of village volunteer Lhunkhohao Haokip and the sixth as Yurembam Kulendra Singha (63), a civilian from Assam’s Cachar district staying in Jiribam.
The unrest in the state escalated into large-scale protests, shifting the epicentre of violence to Manipur‘s Raj Bhavan as students demanded action against those responsible and called for the resignation of top officials.
Police fired tear gas shells, leading to several injuries. Protesters retaliated with stones, resulting in injuries to cops and security personnel.
A security source confirmed that the body of ex-havildar Limkholal Mate, of Motbung in Kangpokpi district, was found in Sekmai, Imphal West. He was suspected to have been beaten to death. Nengjakhol Haokip (50) was killed by splinters in an arson attack in Thangbuh village, Kangpokpi, prompting CRPF personnel to retaliate.
Protests break out in 3 Manipur districts
The retired havildar had entered Sekmai only Sunday night. Haokip’s village, Thangbuh, was partially burned in an attack.
In response to the deteriorating situation, Manipur govt ordered the closure of schools and colleges for Monday and Tuesday. However, students defied the shutdown, marching to Raj Bhavan, shouting slogans such as “Long Live Manipur” and “resign all incompetent MLAs”, while demanding peace.
Carrying a banner that read, “Save Manipur for we are Indians, otherwise leave Manipur alone”, the protesters called for the resignations of the DGP and state’s security adviser. They also demanded that the unified command’s control be transferred from the Union home ministry to the CM and called for the immediate removal of Assam Rifles and other central forces from Manipur. The students also urged the 50 non-Kuki-Zo MLAs to take a stand or resign.
Similar protests broke out in Thoubal district, and thousands of locals in Kakching district held a mass rally against recent civilian killings.
The ongoing conflict has seen the deployment of weaponised drones and long-range crude rockets, adding to the chaos.
Manipur police said cadres from militant groups, including those that signed “suspension of operations” agreements or peace deals with the Centre, were involved in the violence. They identified six bodies recovered after a gunbattle between warring groups in Jiribam district.
The slain included Seiminlen Khongsai, Haogoulen Doungel, and Nehboithang Haokip, all members of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), a group under Kuki National Organisation, which had signed a peace deal with govt in 2008. A member of United National Liberation Front’s Pambei faction, Baspatimayum Lakhi Kumar Sharma, was also among the dead.
Police identified the fifth body as that of village volunteer Lhunkhohao Haokip and the sixth as Yurembam Kulendra Singha (63), a civilian from Assam’s Cachar district staying in Jiribam.
