A clash with security forces in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, dominated by the Kuki-Zo tribes, led to the deaths of at least two individuals and left 25 others injured. The confrontation erupted as hundreds gathered to protest the suspension of a head constable, Siamlalpaul, after a selfie of him with purported “armed miscreants” circulated online.
Tensions escalated as protesters encircled the office of the Superintendent of Police, demanding Siamlalpaul’s reinstatement. The situation turned violent, with demonstrators setting fire to a bus and other structures outside the district police chief’s office, prompting security forces to open fire.
In response to the violence, mobile internet services were suspended in the district. The suspension order cited a viral video showing Siamlalpaul with armed individuals on February 14 as grounds for an inquiry.
Manipur has been grappling with clashes between rival armed groups, self-identified as “village defence volunteers,” amidst ethnic tensions between the Kuki-Zo tribes and the Meiteis.
The police deployed the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to disperse the protesters, using tear gas shells. The situation remained volatile as the police monitored the developments.
Protesters alleged unfair treatment of Siamlalpaul and demanded his reinstatement. Churachandpur, heavily populated by the Kuki-Zo tribes, had been a focal point of ethnic clashes since May 2023.
Accusations have been made by Kuki-Zo groups against the state police for attacks on their villages, which the police have consistently denied, instead attributing aggression to Kuki-Zo insurgents.
A civil society group, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), held the Churachandpur police chief responsible for the unrest, citing videos circulating on social media allegedly showing police collaboration with armed groups.
In a separate incident, a former leader of a civil society group accused a senior police officer, Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam (retired), of threatening him. The officer’s alleged call and subsequent threatening message prompted the former leader to seek police intervention.
No formal complaint has been filed yet. Colonel Nectar, known for his involvement in India’s surgical strikes in Myanmar in 2015, was appointed Senior Superintendent of Police (Combat) by the Manipur government in August 2023.
The enduring ethnic violence in Manipur has claimed over 180 lives and displaced 50,000 individuals, stemming from disputes over land, resources, political representation, and affirmative action policies, persisting for nine months.