New Delhi (Agency): Despite a curfew in place, hundreds of locals in Oinam, Bishnupur district, came out of their homes and sat in the middle of a road to block the movement of police and central forces personnel heading from Imphal to Phougakchao Ikhai. The protesters were responding to a call from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) to breach army barricades at Phougakchao Ikhai and demand their relocation to the Churachandpur side. The protest aimed to address the issue of Meiteis who had been unable to visit their homes in Torbung due to the barricades. COCOMI had called upon people to breach the barricades after their requests to the government to remove them by August 30 went unanswered. In anticipation of potential law and order issues, the state government imposed a full curfew in five valley districts on Tuesday.
In a significant escalation of tensions in Manipur, more than 25 individuals, primarily women, suffered injuries as security forces deployed teargas shells to disperse a large gathering of protesters attempting to breach security barricades. The incident occurred at Phougakchao Ikhai in Manipur’s Bishnupur district. Those injured were promptly taken to Bishnupur district hospital and nearby medical facilities for treatment.
Despite the imposition of a curfew, hundreds of local residents from Oinam in Bishnupur district took to the streets, staging a sit-in protest in the middle of a road. Their objective was to obstruct the movement of police and central forces personnel traveling from Imphal to Phougakchao Ikhai.
The protesters were responding to a call from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), urging people to breach the army barricades at Phougakchao Ikhai and demand their relocation to the Churachandpur side. The demonstrators cited the difficulties faced by hundreds of Meiteis who had been unable to visit their homes in Torbung due to the barricades.
COCOMI had called on the public to breach the barricades after their prior requests to the government, asking for their removal by August 30, received no response.
Amid rising tensions and the potential for law and order issues, the state government imposed a full curfew in five valley districts on the preceding day.