Tensions escalated in Manipur on Saturday as thousands of protesters clashed with security forces while demanding lasting peace in the region, which has been marred by ethnic violence for nearly three years. The demonstrators were stopped from marching towards the residence of Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh in Imphal, prompting confrontations after they tried to breach barricades.
The protests were organized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which mobilized participants for four separate rallies from different parts of the city. Heavy security measures were implemented to prevent access to the chief minister’s bungalow, leading to altercations at several key locations, including Keisampat junction and Kangla Gate. As tensions rose at Khurai Lamlong, approximately 2 km from the CM’s residence, security forces discharged multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Despite the clashes, a small group of representatives was permitted to meet the chief minister, where they presented a memorandum outlining their demands, including justice for two children who recently lost their lives in a bomb blast in Bishnupur district. A five-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl were killed while asleep during the explosion, which also left the children’s mother injured. Protesters are also seeking rehabilitation for internally displaced persons affected by the ongoing ethnic conflict.
COCOMI convenor Y K Dhiren communicated that protests would intensify if the government failed to take concrete action. He criticized the lack of meaningful resolution since violence erupted on May 3, 2023. COCOMI spokesperson Nahakpam Shanta Singh emphasized the need for an action taken report on the death of the two children in the April 7 blast, noting, “If the government fails to answer, we would be compelled to pursue other democratic forms of agitation.”
The protests coincided with a newly heightened violent situation in the state. On Friday, three individuals were killed in separate gunfights between rival armed groups in Ukhrul district. Among the deceased were a Tangkhul Naga and two Kuki-Zo individuals. Reports indicate that additional clashes resulted in injuries to at least five others, including women. The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) reported that 29-year-old Horshokmi Jamang was killed in an ambush, while two Kuki victims were discovered deceased by security forces.
Recently, a seven-kilometer torch rally was conducted from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district to protest the children’s deaths. However, the situation deteriorated when marchers confronted security personnel, prompting authorities to use tear gas to disperse them after they defied a curfew to move closer to key government locations.
The ongoing conflict between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kukis in the hill regions has already resulted in over 260 fatalities and left about 58,881 individuals internally displaced as of March 30, 2026, underscoring the breadth of the humanitarian crisis.
