Manipur: Tear gas, smoke bombs used to disperse protesters
What's the story
Security forces in Manipur's Kakching district resorted to using tear gas, smoke bombs, and stun grenades on Sunday night to disperse protesters. The demonstration was a mass Meira (torch) rally demanding justice for a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister, who were killed in a militant attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai. The protest turned violent when demonstrators tried to march toward the Kakching Deputy Commissioner's office but were stopped by police at Kakching Keithel bridge.
Clash escalation
Crowd control measures deployed, crowd alleges excessive force
Tensions in Kakching intensified significantly when security forces moved in to disperse a large gathering of protesters, according to India Today NE. In an effort to control the situation, authorities deployed tear gas, smoke bombs, and stun grenades, leading to protestors alleging excessive use of force by the central security personnel. Despite the chaos, early reports indicated that there were no serious injuries among the protesters, though the situation remained volatile.
Rising unrest
What we know about the bomb attack
The protests were triggered by a bomb attack on April 7 in the Bishnupur district, which killed two children and injured their mother. Suspected militants threw an explosive device at a house in the Moirang Tronglaobi area. The victims, a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister, were sleeping with their mother when the bomb exploded inside their bedroom.
Official response
Protests against killings
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh condemned the attack as a "barbaric act" and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice. The incident led to widespread protests across the state, with locals torching two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump. At least two people were killed, and five were injured when an angry mob stormed a Central Reserve Police Force camp in Bishnupur.