On Wednesday, the second day of a 48-hour statewide shutdown called by Meira Paibis, a collective of Meitei women, and five local clubs, normal life across Manipur’s Imphal valley districts was disrupted. Educational institutions, markets, banks, and commercial establishments remained closed, while attendance in government offices was negligible and only a few vehicles plied on the roads.
Women in large numbers gathered to block the roads and demand the unconditional release of five “village defence volunteers” recently arrested by police. S Sakhi, a protester in Wangkhei, stated that police were arresting and detaining unarmed civilians while doing nothing against armed gunmen in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.
S Bebisana from Naoremthong in Imphal West district said that the village volunteers’ job is to protect Meitei villages in the periphery of the hill and valley areas from attacks by Kuki Zo militants. On Saturday, the five youths were arrested for carrying sophisticated weapons and donning camouflage uniforms. Following this, on September 16, protesters attempted to storm the Porompat police station, resulting in a stand-off where several teargas shells were fired. A few protesters and an RAF personnel sustained minor injuries.
