By India Blooms News Service Sep 29, 2023
Imphal: Manipur continued to be on the boil on Thursday as a fresh spate of clashes sparked between protesters and security forces, media reports said.
People held demonstrations in the Imphal valley continued as and sought speedy action against the killers of two students, believed to be from the Meitei community.
Turbulence reigned capital city Imphal as violent protests since Tuesday over the death of two students engulfed the city.
Large crowds of demonstrators assembled in the Heinging area of Imphal East and attempted to move towards Chief Minister N Biren Singhs family residence earlier today. Security forces intervened, resulting in confrontations between the protesters and authorities.
There was an attempt to attack the chief ministers ancestral house at Heingang locality in Imphal. Security forces stopped the mob around 100 meters away from the house, a police officer said, reported India Today.
The massive protests were triggered after images of two Manipuri students, who had gone missing since July 6 surfaced on social media.
An irate mob on Wednesday set the Bharatiya Janata Party mandal office on fire in Manipur and many student bodies of Manipur held protest demonstrations alleging excessive action of security forces in violence-hit Manipur, said the report
Protesters choked the Indo-Myanmar arterial road with burnt tyres on the road.
Security forces had to fire tear gas shells, and use mock bombs, to scatter the crowd, who countered with slingshots and hurled stones at them.
At the protesting site, the students were heard raising slogans such as We condemn the brutal killing of two students, we want justice, Long live Manipur, go back, central forces, condemn excessive action of forces and Implement NRC.
A huge crowd also ransacked the deputy commissioners office in Imphal West district.
Following the violence, the Manipur government ordered a brief shutdown of internet services in the state just two days after its resumption.
Over 160 people have been killed and several hundred injured since violence broke out on May 3, when a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts of Manipur to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Approximately 53 percent of the states population is made up of Meiteis, mostly living in the Imphal Valley, while tribal communities, such as Nagas and Kukis, account for 40 percent of the population and primarily inhabit the hill districts.