Imphal: Tension boiled over in Imphal East on Monday morning. Officials arrived at Khurai Telipati at 7:30 a.m. to clear shops and buildings from government land. Residents fought back hard. They swarmed the site to block a JCB excavator, stopping the demolition in its tracks. A heated standoff between locals and authorities followed.
The Deputy Commissioner ordered the clearing of what officials labeled khas land. This dispute had dragged on for years. The High Court of Manipur finally closed the file on January 22, clearing the path for the administration to issue new notices. Still, the crowd refused to budge.
Wangkhei MLA Thangjam Arun Kumar arrived to negotiate as the situation turned volatile. He tried to bridge the gap between the angry locals and the administration. The authorities insisted they were bound by the court order. According to officials, "The drive was carried out in accordance with the court order and the directions issued by the district administration."
Talks continued for hours between the Sub-Divisional Officer and the residents. The pressure eventually broke. Workers finished the demolition by the afternoon. Police stayed on site to keep the peace as the area cleared out.
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