Students, women protest police action against IDPs

IMPHAL — Students and women have denounced and protested the alleged excessive use of force by the state police against the internally displaced persons (IDPs) when the latter attempted to return to their abandoned native villages in Manipur’s Imphal East district.

Protesting the police action, the students of Churachand Higher Secondary School on Tuesday marched towards Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

However they’re prevented from marching onwards at Nupi Lal Memorial complex by the police and from there they’re pushed back to Sanjenthong. Later a few student representatives were allowed to submit a memorandum and shared their grievances to the Governor. The memorandum demands necessary action against the responsible officers etc.

Also read: Manipur: Two cops, five injured as displaced people clash with security forces

Meanwhile, holding placards that read ‘We denounce action of state force,’ women from Chanura Chaokhat Khongthang Lup, a women's body from Khewa company (Sagolmang) village in Imphal East district, staged a sit-in.

They condemned the firing of tear gas shells towards the Community Health Centre (CHC), residential area, and even at school buses during yesterday's confrontation between security forces and IDPs at Khewa area, 24 km north-east of Imphal.

“We’re staging this protest against yesterday’s action,” said a woman protester while taking part in the sit-in which was held at the gate of CHC Sagolmang.

“We’re also urging the state authority to take up necessary action against those responsible personnel.”

In a separate development, residents of Thangapat Mapal – a locality in Imphal East district, also staged a protest opposing the government’s move to organise the traditional Hiyang Tanaba (boat race) at Thangapat moat as part of the ongoing Sangai Festival 2025.

The 10-day Sangai festival, the biggest annual event organised to promote tourism in Manipur, which had been suspended for two years because of the unrest, is currently underway from November 21.

On Monday, a confrontation occurred when security forces tried to stop IDPs from returning to their abandoned villages in Imphal East district, bordering Kangpokpi district. Four people were injured in the clash. The IDPs were from Doilaithabi, Ekou, Sadu Yengkhuman, and Yengkhuman areas.

The protesters, including IDPs, are demanding that authorities resolve the conflict and arrange resettlement for those displaced by the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, before holding any tourism festival.