A massive security deployment has been made in Kangpokpi district, Manipur, following a violent mob attack on the office of Superintendent of Police (SP) Manoj Prabhakar on Friday evening. The attack left the SP and several others injured, escalating tensions in the region already fraught with ethnic violence.
Officials reported that the mob targeted the SP’s office over the continued deployment of central armed forces, particularly the BSF and CRPF, in Saibol village. Videos from the scene showed armed individuals in camouflage clothing on the streets and vandalised vehicles within the SP office compound. The protesters reportedly used stones, projectiles, and petrol bombs during the attack.
SP Prabhakar, injured by a projectile, is said to be recovering and leading joint security efforts to stabilize the situation. “The situation is now under control and is being closely monitored,” a senior officer in Imphal stated.
Background of incident
The unrest stems from protests by Kuki groups against security forces' operations in Saibol village. On December 31, women from the community were allegedly baton-charged while blocking security forces from occupying community bunkers. This led to widespread anger and protests, with the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) blocking National Highway 2, a vital supply route to the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley.
Saibol is located in a tense “buffer zone” between Kuki-held hills and the Meitei-dominated valley, where sporadic clashes between armed groups have injured civilians and security personnel. Recent gunfights in the nearby Thamnapokpi and Sanasabi villages left four people injured, prompting security forces to conduct operations to dismantle bunkers and restore order.
Ongoing security operations
In response to Friday's violence, security forces have intensified operations and increased their presence in Kangpokpi. “Adequate force was used to disperse the mob, and the situation was brought under control,” a police statement said.
With tensions running high, the state remains on edge as authorities attempt to quell unrest and navigate the complex ethnic conflict that has claimed over 250 lives since May 2023.
