Maipur: Normal life affected again after various civil society organisations call for 48-hour shutdown

For the second time, normal life is affected in valley districts of Manipur. The 48-hour shutdown is called by the various civil society organisations across the state demanding unconditional release of five ‘village protection volunteers’.

During the bandh there were some minor incidents reported from the valley districts, no major incidents happened relating to the shutdown. The bandh started on Tuesday. The organisation are claiming that the arrested people are village protection volunteers.

Agitators, including women, in Imphal East and Imphal West districts blocked the important roads with wooden logs, water pipes and burning of tyres. Movement of Central and state security forces were obstructed in many places as the agitators blockaded many roads.


Inter-district, inter-state buses and trucks did not operate. Markets, shops, business establishments, banks, government offices, educational institutions were closed in the five valley districts -- Bishnupur, Kakching, Thoubal, Imphal West, and Imphal East.

Police officials earlier said that five persons were arrested on Saturday with sophisticated weapons in camouflage uniform.

A large number of men and women came out to protest the arrest and tried to storm Porompat police station in Imphal East district demanding release of the arrested persons, but the security forces repelled the police station attack by firing tear gas shells.

Several people including a Rapid Action Force personnel received minor injuries during the tussles.

The civil society organisations earlier set a deadline to release the five detainees, but police rejected the demand.

The Manipur police have charged the five people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act & Official Secrets Act.

Police officials added that an INSAS rifle and a self-loading rifle — and 128 rounds of ammunition recovered from them. “ One of the five arrested is a former cadre of banned insurgent outfit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur. The other accused include Keisham Johnson, Konthoujam Romojit Meitei, Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha and Athokpam Kajit.

Manipur police has stated that as many as 175 people were killed, 1,108 others injured while 32 are missing in the ongoing ethnic strife which started on May 3.

Video fuelled tension
Manipur police stated in X, “An old video of an arson case happening on 3rd May, 2023 is falsely narrated as a clash between Sora Muslim community and Meitie community in Thoubal district occuring last night (i.e. 19/09/2023) resulting in the Meitei community setting fire of Muslim residences. This is false and wrong information. Public are requested to desist from publishing/uploading/sharing any such fake/false news during this sensitive time”.