Protest escalates, protesters take cops captive, free them

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 21: Hours before the Manipur Sangai Festival 2025 was officially opened, the mass protest against the Government’s  decision to hold the festival amid the protracted suffering of the people, particularly IDPs escalated  with large groups of people staging protest demonstrations at different places.
One such protest at Khurai turned violent resulting in a direct confrontation between protesters and security personnel in which one SDPO and a Constable were overpowered by the protesters.      
A large number of internally displaced persons staying in different relief camps located along Imphal-Ukhrul road and Imphal-Sagolmang road took out protest rallies against holding Manipur Sangai Festival this morning.
As the protesters marched toward the Lamlong traffic point, they were stopped by a police team at Khurai Sajor Leikai in front of Laikhurembi Temple.
After exchanging some words with security personnel, the protesters marched on toward the Lamlong traffic point.
Despite repeated attempts by security personnel to stop the protest march at different points along the route, the IDPs continued to march on toward the Lamlong traffic point.
However, the protest march was halted after the arrival of security reinforcements but it gave rise to heated arguments between the two sides for some minutes.
The situation turned ugly when the protesting IDPs and security personnel confronted each other before reaching Khurai Babu Hotel area.
As the protesters made their way breaching the security barricades, the security personnel fired tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse and drive back the protesting IDPs.
The protesters retaliated by pelting stones upon the security personnel.
In the ensuing melee, Maibam Digbijoy, SDPO of Porompat Police was overpowered by the protesters and taken along with them.
In the meantime, one Constable of Manipur Police Commando who fell while running sustained injuries on his head and he was also detained by the protesting IDPs and taken along with them.
In their efforts to rescue the SDPO and the Constable, security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs.
Soon after, Imphal East SP Shivanand Surve also arrived at the scene and held talks with the protesting IDPs to hand over the SDPO and the Constable to them for treatment.
The injured Constable was later handed over to the police and he was taken to hospital from the spot.
But the negotiation for handing over the SDPO was marked by heated arguments between the two sides.
The argument turned violent and a physical confrontation broke out between the protesting IDPs and security personnel. The SP Imphal East sustained minor injury on the upper part of his right eye at Lamlong Keithel area.
After the confrontation, the security personnel managed to push back the protesting IDPs some distance away from the traffic point.
At the same time, police officers talked with the protesters to hand over the SDPO.
Sources said that some IDPs took the SDPO to Sajiwa relief camp and showed him how the IDPs have been living under wretched conditions all these days.
Later, the SDPO was safely handed over to the police at around 2.30 pm.
On the other hand, the IDPs continued their protest at Lamlong near the traffic point by sitting in the middle of the road shouting slogans against holding this year’s edition of Manipur Sangai Festival.
The protest continued till 3.30 pm after which the IDPs went away peacefully.