Villagers clash with cops in Mnp; 2 vehicles vandalized

At least two police vehicles were vandalized during a clash between villagers and a group of police in civil dress at a village in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Tuesday.
With the tensions heightened, the district administration has deployed additional security forces, reports said. The clash broke out at Pukhao Khewa under Sagolmang police station of Imphal East district where police commandos in civilian dress reportedly allegedly tried to catch a youth of the village around 10.45 am on Tuesday.
Local reports said that upon seeing two cars moving to and fro in the village in suspicious manners, villagers who were engaging in MGNREGS job stopped and enquired about them.
Without disclosing their identities, the occupants of the two cars informed them they were there to nab a drug peddler based on specific input.
However, after some time, the occupants entered the house of a youth of the village who volunteered himself to be village volunteer during the height of the ethnic clash.
According to the villagers, even though the youth who the police tried to arrest was part of the village volunteers who guarded the village with arms at the height of the ethnic conflict, he is currently engaging in farming activity after normalcy returned in the area after the deployment of adequate security forces.
When they tried to leave the place after picking up the youth, the villagers engaging in MGNREGS jobs rushed to the spot and confronted them.
The outnumbered villagers overpowered the individuals and vandalized their cars. They also overturned the vehicles. It was only after the crowd started targeting them, the occupants disclosed their identities as personnel of the special police commando unit of the state police.
Timely arrival of the security reinforcement controlled the situation from escalation. However, with the tensions remaining high, additional security forces have been detailed in the village. Pukhao Khewa is among the Meitei dominated villages adjoining Kangpokpi district and badly affected by the ongoing ethnic crisis that unfolded in May 2023.
It was only after adequate security personnel were deployed in the fringe areas adjoining Kangpokpi district, the villagers returned to normal life. Meanwhile, the villagers strongly condemned the entry of the police personnel in the village by concealing their identity, stating that it has created unrest in the area.
They said that such police action has heightened tension in peripheral villages that had already been affected by the ongoing ethnic conflict.
Local women groups appealed to the authorities to coordinate with village bodies in future operations to avoid confrontation and creating unnecessary tensions.
On the other hand, the arrest of a youth by the police in a civil address sparked a protest in the Kadangband area of Imphal West district today.
Womenfolk of Kadangband Part 1 and 2 staged a sit-in protest against the arrest of Sanasam Sanatomba, also known as Naoton who was picked up by a team of police commandos in civil dress from his house at Kadangband Part 2.
The villagers warned of launching intense forms of agitation if the arrested youth is released immediately without any condition while claiming that he is innocent.