On Saturday, Manipur experienced a significant escalation of violence as an agitated mob attempted to breach the private residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Imphal. Security forces quickly intervened, deploying tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Chief Minister Biren Singh was confirmed to be safe and was not present at his home during the event; he was in his office.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, expressed his concerns on microblogging site X (previously known as Twitter), calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur and contribute to restoring peace.
The violent upheaval extended beyond the Chief Minister’s residence, with a mob attacking Health and Family Welfare Minister Sapam Ranjan’s house in Lamphel Sanakeithel and targeting L. Susindro Singh’s home, the Minister of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.
These assaults highlighted the increasing frustration of protesters, who held government officials accountable for not managing the rising violence in the region.
Protesters also gathered outside the Sagolband residence of BJP legislator RK Imo, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The demonstrators called for assertive action and an “appropriate response” to the recent killings, pressing the authorities to apprehend the culprits within 24 hours.
In light of the escalating violence, the Manipur government enforced a curfew in the Imphal East, Imphal West, and Bishnupur districts starting at 4:30 pm on Saturday.
To prevent the dissemination of hate speech and stop the circulation of inflammatory videos on social media, internet and mobile data services were halted in Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur districts.
The ongoing wave of violence in Manipur intensified following the discovery of six bodies, believed to be those of missing Meitei individuals, at a displacement camp near the site where security forces killed ten Hmar men on November 11.
The slain individuals were identified by security forces as militants, while the Kuki-Zo community claims they were villagers acting as volunteers.
Among the six Meitei victims were a 25-year-old woman and her two children, a 31-year-old woman and her daughter, as well as a 60-year-old woman, who were reportedly abducted by Kuki militants. The remains of three individuals, suspected to be among those missing from Jiribam on Monday, were discovered floating in the River Jiri.
The bodies have been sent to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital in Assam for autopsy.
Public anger has further escalated due to the reinstatement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in areas prone to violence.
Protesters have berated ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly for their failure to address the conflict and criticized the return of AFSPA.
Tensions flared outside independent legislator Sapam Nishikanta Singh’s residence on Tiddim Road in Keishamthong when it was learned that the MLA was out of state, leading to protests that turned violent.
Demonstrators vandalized the office of a local newspaper owned by Nishikanta Singh, damaging its temporary structures.
The District Magistrate of Imphal West, Th. Kirankumar, issued an official curfew order starting at 4:30 pm on Saturday to control the unrest.
This decision followed earlier measures, including curfews and internet restrictions, aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation and incitement amid the violence in Manipur.
