Waari Singbul Network

Imphal: Tensions reached an intense pitch in restive Manipur on Thursday following the arrest of five village defence volunteers (VDVs) on September 16, leading to widespread protest demonstrations in the valley areas, demanding unconditional release of the volunteers.

Intensifying the stir, large number of womenfolk stormed several police stations in the twin capital districts of Imphal East and Imphal West and courted mass arrest, triggering a commotion during which the police resorted to fire tear gas canisters and stunt bombs to disperse them, and in the melee nine protestors were injured.

A lady journalist working in a local English daily, covering the incident, was reportedly injured in the confrontation.

The agitators categorically shouted at the police that they are also VDVs to safeguard the Meiteis at the fringe and vulnerable area and asked the cops to arrest them.

To overturn the heightened agitation, district magistrates clamped total curfew in the twin capital districts under 144 of the CrPC.

As part of the stir, a 48-hour shutdown was enforced in the state since last Monday mid night by locals, paralyzing life in all valley districts.

Additional secretary home, M. Pradip Singh, addressing a press conference on last Tuesday, had said that the 5 detainees were arrested by the police with arms looted from the police armories masquerading as special police commandos, and one of them was slapped under UAPA.

During Thursday’s protests, the womenfolk blamed the state government of keeping a blind eye when Kuki miscreants with sophisticated weapons continued to attack Meitei villages in the ongoing ethnic conflict and extorting money openly on the highways.