Guwahati: The Manipur police detained seven members of the Hmar Students’ Association for allegedly supporting a bandh in the Churachandpur District.
The bandh was in protest against the government’s land survey and demolition of churches and was scheduled to take place from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the same day.
Earlier on April 28, unknown miscreants partially burned the proposed Open Gym at PT Sports Complex in Churachandpur, which was set to be inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. However, the district police quickly intervened and managed to control the situation in the area.
Violent protests erupted in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on April 28, turning the area into a war zone. The protests saw vehicles being set ablaze, causing chaos and panic in the city.
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As a result, internet services were suspended, and security personnel marched through the district to prevent further clashes between protesters and security forces.
Despite an agreement being reached between the Inspector General and the students’ body leader, the town of Churachandpur remains tense. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum had agreed to withdraw the protest, but people are still enraged over the non-withdrawal of Police Commando forces from the district headquarters.
On the night of the protest, highly agitated mobs gathered at the Tuibong Bazar area and burned tyres on the roads, while a scuffle broke out between the police and local mobs on the Sielmat Bridge.
The MLA of Churachandpur Assembly Constituency, LM Khaute, is alleged to have invited Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh to the district, resulting in local people perceiving Khaute as anti-tribal. As a result, he was escorted by police to Imphal for his safety.
The district remains in an uneasy calm, with security forces continuing to march to prevent further chaos.