Today marks the beginning of day three of National Highway 2, a 72-hour total closure. The whole Kangpoki district is still closed, including all businesses, offices of the government, and educational facilities.
Before the rally, curfew relaxation was lifted in some areas of Manipur. On Tuesday, at least 30 persons were taken into custody in Manipur.
The Meitei and Kuki tribe-dominated districts in Manipur will not have a morning curfew lifted today, the Manipur administration has decided.
The choice was made during a high-level security conference last night that was presided over by the chief minister, N Biren Singh.
Following a demand for a sizable protest rally in Imphal today by the Kwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace, which represents the women of the main market in Imphal town, the decision was made not to waive the curfew, as had been the standard for the previous few weeks.
However, there are still reports of shooting and arson in Phaileng in Kangpokpi, which borders Imphal and Torbung in the Bishnupur-Chirachandpur district.
In another incident, at least 19 women were hurt after a conflict with the Rapid Action Force in the same district, and at least 30 people were detained after a mob in the Kwakeithel area of Imphal West burned a police officer’s on-duty vehicle on fire.
Security personnel responded by using tear gas shells to disperse the mob, and they later detained 30 attackers.
Leaders of the Meitei-Naga communities signed a deal on Tuesday to end the misunderstandings between the two communities that started after a Naga woman was killed by members of the Meitei communities, marking a significant development amid the ethnic violence between the Meitei-Kuki communities.
Manipur remains tense as a protest rally approaches. Curfew relaxation has been lifted in some areas, but certain districts with Meitei and Kuki populations will maintain morning curfew.
Clashes and arson have been reported, with 30 individuals arrested after setting a police vehicle on fire. Leaders signed a deal to address misunderstandings between Meitei-Naga communities amid ongoing ethnic violence. Security measures continue to be enforced to prevent further escalation.
