Manipur: Calm Returns to Tribal Areas Amidst Tensions

New Delhi/Imphal, March 10 (NationPress) The atmosphere in Kuki-Zo tribal regions of Manipur has remained tense yet peaceful on Monday, with no new incidents reported following the clashes with security forces on Saturday, as confirmed by officials.

During the clashes on Saturday, at least 43 individuals were injured, including 27 security personnel, and a protester lost their life in Kangpokpi and several other districts, where Kuki-Zo tribal groups protested against the recommencement of bus services connecting Imphal with the hill districts. This initiative was intended to ease public inconvenience and restore normalcy in the state.

In Delhi, following the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur since February 13, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the state budget for 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha, proposing an expenditure of Rs 35,104 crore, an increase from the revised estimates of Rs 32,657 crore for the current financial year (2024-25).

A police official in Imphal reported that a significant number of security forces, including both Army and Central as well as state forces, have been deployed in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl, and Jiribam districts.

Top police officials are actively monitoring the situation, confirming that no incidents have been reported from any of the affected districts.

Normal daily activities were disrupted in the Kuki-Zo areas of Manipur for the second consecutive day on Monday due to an indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the leading tribal organization, protesting the resumption of bus services between the state capital Imphal and the hill districts, along with police actions in tribal regions.

Despite this, police officials noted that the shutdown significantly impacted daily life in Kangpokpi district and partially affected other districts dominated by Kuki-Zo populations. Tribal leaders asserted that the indefinite shutdown was total and successful in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Pherzawl.

“The COTU (Committee on Tribal Unity) leaders held an inconclusive meeting with government officials regarding the withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown,” a tribal leader informed IANS over the phone.

The COTU, part of the KZC, is demanding the transfer of the Superintendent of Police from Kangpokpi, the cancellation of bus services, and a governmental apology for the killing of Lalgouthang Singsit according to customary law.

Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla inaugurated a newly established Mahseer Hatchery and a Freshwater Ichthyology and Sustainable Aquaculture Laboratory at the Department of Zoology, Manipur University in Imphal on Monday.

This laboratory has been jointly developed by ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal of Uttarakhand, and Manipur University. During the inauguration, the Governor emphasized that fish is an integral part of our culture, and enhancing the fisheries sector is vital for Manipur's economic expansion.

He noted that Manipur possesses abundant water bodies like ponds, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, which provide immense potential for a thriving fisheries industry.

Bhalla mentioned that the Union government has launched several initiatives to promote fisheries development, including the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which aims to stimulate growth in the fisheries sector in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He encouraged the public to seize these opportunities.