17 Injured in Fresh Clashes in Manipur’s Bishnupur

Imphal: Seventeen people were injured in fresh clashes in Manipur’s Bishnupur district as the Army and RAF personnel fired tear gas shells at Kangvai and Phougakchao areas on Thursday afternoon.

Tension rose on Thursday afternoon when Meiti women tried to throw away barricades and enter the buffer zone, police officials opened fire in the air. As the protesting women resorted to hurling stones, security forces used tear gas shells to disburse the crowd. Altogether 17 people were injured.

As the situation became tense, the district magistrates of Imphal East and Imphal West also withdrew curfew relaxations. Now curfew restrictions will continue during the day as well as at night throughout the Imphal Valley.

Hours before the clashes, a planned mass burial of Kuki-Zomi people killed in Manipur’s ethnic violence was stalled after the state’s High Court on Thursday morning ordered status quo to be maintained at the proposed burial site in Churachandpur district bordering Bishnupur.

Thousands of locals came out on the streets to block the movement of security forces. Locals led by women tried to pass the barricade put up by the Army and RAF personnel, demanding that they be allowed to go to Tuibuong, the burial site. This led to tension and the firing of teargas shells by the security personnel.