IDPs' homeward march turns violent, 7 hurt

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 29: At least seven individuals including a Riflemen and a camera person of local electronic media sustained injuries today during a confrontation between protesting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and security personnel along Imphal-Ukhrul Road near Yaingangpokpi police Station, Imphal East.
Some IDPs presently staying at Sawombung relief camp started gathering at Yaingangpokpi Bazar from last night with an intention to proceed to Gwaltabi and resettle at  their homes.
Early this morning, some IDPs tried to go to Gwaltabi but they were stopped by security personnel deployed in the area.
After some altercations, the IDPs returned to Yaingangpokpi Bazar.
As the day progressed, the gathering of IDPs at Yaingangpokpi Bazar grew larger.
At around noon, a large number of IDPs started marching toward Gwaltabi with placards in their hand which denounced the holding of Manipur Sangai Festival 2025.
They also shouted slogans like “ Manipur Sangai Festival at the present time is inappropriate,” “We oppose Manipur Sangai Festival,” “Free movement first, next Manipur Sangai Festival”, “First resettlement, next Manipur Sangai Festival” etc.
As the IDPs started marching toward Gwaltabi, they were stopped by a large number of security personnel before reaching Yai- ngangpokpi police station.
This was followed by a heated argument between the IDPs and the security forces.
The IDPs demanded to let them go to their respective places as peace has returned in the State according to the State Government and it is busy holding a mega festival for the past nine days, forgetting the pain of IDPs who have been staying in relief camps since May 3, 2023.
The heated argument between the IDPs and the security forces transformed into physical confrontation when the IDPs tried to breach the security barricades.
In order to bring the situation under control, the security forces fired tear gas shells, mock bombs and threw stun grenades.
However, one stun grenade accidentally exploded on the side of the security personnel, causing minor injuries  to one Riflemen and a camera person of local electronic media (Impact TV).
Later, the security forces managed to bring the situation under control and the protesters were driven back till Yaingangpokpi Bazar.
But the IDPs continued their protest by sitting in the middle of Imphal-Ukhrul Road.
In the meantime, reinforcement teams of Rapid Action Force, Border Security Force and State Police arrived at the spot and they took up tighter security measures to prevent any further attempt of IDPs to march toward Gwaltabi.
Later at around 2 pm, another round of confrontation broke out between the protesting IDPs and security personnel.
The security forces once again fired several rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse the protesting IDPs.
Firing of tear gas shells, mock bombs and stun grenades continued till 4 pm.
The crackdown by security forces inflicted injuries to  five IDPs including four women and they were taken to Yaingangpokpi Primary Health Centre for treatment.
One of them was referred to JNIMS Hospital for further treatment.
The situation in the area is still tense and a large number of security personnel were conducting flag march till the time of filing this report.