IMPHAL: Tensions escalated in Manipur on Friday night when protestors attempted to storm the residence of L Susindro, a BJP MLA serving as the state minister for Physical Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs, in Imphal East district.
In response to the demonstrators’ actions, both state police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployed tear gas canisters and smoke grenades to disperse the agitated crowd. Videos capturing the incident, widely circulated on social media, showcased a high-security presence, underscoring the intensity of the situation.
Notably, this marks the second time that L Susindro has been targeted by mobs amidst the ongoing sectarian strife in the state. Previously in June, a mob had set fire to the legislator’s private storage facility in Chingarel Tezpur.
This incident adds to a series of security challenges faced by the ruling dispensation in the state. On September 28, following the government’s formation of a committee to investigate allegations of excessive force used by security personnel during recent protests, mobs defied curfew orders to attack Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s ancestral home in Heingang, Imphal East, and the residence of BJP legislator Kebi Devi.
Approximately 500-600 individuals, some armed with sticks, marched towards the chief minister’s residence but were met with countermeasures by security personnel who fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
The chief minister was not present, as he and his family reside in a highly guarded home in the heart of Imphal city and later, Manipur police assured that both houses were secure and adequately protected.
In the last few days, Manipur is reeling under intense protests following the kidnapping and subsequent killings of two Meitei youth in Imphal. The unrest began when news of the kidnappings and murders rapidly circulated, accompanied by images of the victims’ lifeless bodies on social media, just two days after the restoration of internet services in the state. Thousands of students took to the streets demanding justice for the victims.
On the night of September 26, clashes erupted between RAF personnel and local residents protesting the murders. Security forces resorted to tear gas, rubber bullets, and baton charges to disperse the agitating crowd, resulting in injuries to 45 protesters, primarily students. The clashes continued on September 27, leading to approximately 20 additional protesters sustaining injuries.
