GG News Bureau
Imphal, 28th Dec. Life came to a standstill in the five districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday as a bandh, called in protest of the arrest of six men and the death of another in a gunfight with police, disrupted normalcy. The incident occurred on December 14 in Thoubal district.
Shops and commercial establishments remained shuttered, and public transport was notably absent from the roads. Bandh supporters, led by the Joint Action Committee, staged demonstrations and burnt tyres at Lamphel Sanakeithel in Imphal West. In Bishnupur district, agitators resorted to vandalism, targeting vehicles defying the shutdown.
The 24-hour bandh commenced at 6 p.m. on Friday and gained the backing of the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomerate of Meitei civil society organizations, including its student and women’s wings.
Arrests and Allegations
Police reported that the six men arrested and the individual killed in the gunfight at Salungpham in Thoubal district were members of the banned insurgent group PREPAK. They were allegedly involved in extortion activities. A substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including stolen police weaponry, was seized from their possession.
However, bandh supporters refuted the police claims, asserting that the individuals were “village volunteers” defending their communities from armed Kuki groups.
Ongoing Ethnic Violence
Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023. Over 250 lives have been lost, and thousands have been displaced in the unrest.
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