Protests, Shutdown Grip Manipur’s Churachandpur Ahead of CM’s Visit
CHURACHANDPUR: Tension gripped Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Saturday as hundreds of Kuki protesters staged demonstrations and a shutdown brought normal life to a standstill ahead of Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh’s visit to attend the last rites of BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte.
Officials said large numbers of protesters took to the streets in the Kuki-Zo-majority district, voicing opposition to the chief minister’s visit and demanding a permanent political solution to the ethnic conflict that has plagued the state for over a year.
The district headquarters witnessed a near-complete shutdown, with markets remaining closed and public transport largely off the roads after an armed group called for a bandh. Businesses also shut down in response to the shutdown.
Dozens of protesters assembled along Tedim Road near the Kaprang area, blocking the key route connecting Imphal with Churachandpur in an attempt to prevent the chief minister’s convoy from entering the district. At least six Kuki organisations announced a boycott of Singh’s visit, asserting that lasting peace could only be achieved through a permanent resolution to the crisis rather than symbolic gestures.
