Manipur Clashes: 1 Dead, 16 Critically Injured as ‘Free Movement’ Day 1 Turns Violent
Manipur plunged into violence on Saturday as the Centre’s free movement directive kicked in, sparking clashes that left one man dead and 16 others critically injured. The unrest erupted when Kuki protesters blocked roads and attacked buses, opposing the new policy aimed at restoring normalcy in the ethnic strife-torn state.
The trouble began on the Imphal-Senapati road, where Kuki groups halted a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy carrying Meitei community members. Protesters pelted stones and set vehicles ablaze near Keithelmanbi military colony, forcing police and Army troops to fire tear gas and use batons to break up the mob of 2,000-2,500 people. Lalgun Singsit was killed in the chaos, while 16 others suffered severe injuries, officials confirmed.
This violence marks a rocky start to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s order to ensure free movement across Manipur from March 8. Shah, in a recent security review—his first since President’s Rule was imposed—pushed for peace after nearly two years of ethnic clashes that have killed over 250 people since May 2023. He also demanded strict action against troublemakers.
ALSO READ | Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Robots Join Rescue Mission as Eight Remain Trapped in SLBC Tunnel
State transport buses, relaunched to ease public hardship, faced immediate hurdles. A Churachandpur-bound bus reached Kangvai smoothly, but the Senapati bus hit blockades. Last December, similar efforts flopped when no passengers showed up. Today, despite heavy escorts from central forces, the initiative met fierce resistance.
Meanwhile, security forces cracked down, arresting seven members of banned groups like Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG), Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and PREPAK. The arrests, spanning Imphal West and Tengnoupal districts, netted suspects like Moirangthem Jiban Singh and Keisham Naocha, along with Rs 50,000 in cash.
Manipur’s hill districts, dominated by Kuki-Zo tribes, remain tense after months of ethnic conflict with the Meitei majority. The free movement plan aims to reconnect these regions, but Saturday’s violence—burnt buses, blocked highways, and fresh casualties—shows peace is still elusive.
