Imphal: A tense confrontation broke out on Monday along the Imphal-Jiribam highway in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, leaving at least three people critically injured. The incident occurred during the second day of an emergency shutdown organized by Kuki civil society groups to protest against security operations in Kuki-Zo villages.
Demonstrators gathered in the New Keithelmanbi area to block traffic, demanding an immediate halt to ongoing security searches. Tensions escalated when security forces attempted to disperse the crowd to reopen the road, leading to a clash involving the use of smoke bombs, baton charges, and blank ammunition.
The Kuki Inpi South West Sadar Hills (KISW-SH) condemned the police response, characterizing the treatment of the demonstrators as excessive. In an official statement, the group asserted that "three individuals sustained critical injuries during the confrontation" after security personnel deployed tear gas and other crowd-control measures against the protesters.
Beyond the immediate clashes, the KISW-SH alleged that security operations are being unfairly targeted at Kuki-dominated areas. The organization also linked local ethnic unrest to the NSCN-IM and the ZUF-Kamson faction, calling for legal action against those groups. Local leaders warned that protests could intensify if their grievances regarding the security tactics remain unaddressed by authorities.
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