Hundreds of protesters gathered of Meitei community at Phougakchao Ikhai in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Wednesday and tried to break through army barricades in an attempt to reach their homes in Torbung. A officer provided this information.
There was tension in the area and personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Assam Rifles and Manipur Police used tear gas shells to control the situation, he said.
Over 25 persons, including women and a video journalist, were injured when security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse a large crowd of protestors who defied curfew rules and tried to breach security barricades.
According to the official, the protesters were standing firm at the spot and demanding permission to enter Torbung area of the district. These people were displaced from Torbung after caste violence broke out in Manipur in early May.
Official said that as a precautionary measure, complete curfew was once again imposed in the five valley districts of Manipur from Tuesday evening.
Curfew was relaxed in these districts from 5 am to 6 pm every day.
“The government has appealed to COCOMI to withdraw the proposed plan to storm the army barricade at Phougakchao Ikhai near Torbung on September 6,” state Information and Mass Communications Minister Sapam Ranjan said in a press conference.
Sapam also urged everyone to “support the security measures taken by the government”.
He said that people related to essential services like health, electricity, PHED, petrol pump, school/college, municipality, media and court and air passengers would be allowed to move during the curfew.
COCOMI media coordinator Somendro Thokchom said the committee had earlier urged the government and relevant authorities to remove the barricades by August 30.
