Protesters clash with security forces in Manipur over Sangai festival

People demonstrating against the Sangai festival clashed with security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district on Friday, amid a 'cease work' called by the Meitei group COCOMI.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has been opposing the tourism festival by the state government, stating that organising such an event amid the crisis being faced by families displaced by the ethnic violence was "highly insensitive".

The clash happened at Khurai Lamlong when security forces intercepted demonstrators, including several displaced persons, who were marching towards the venue of the festival, an official said.

The demonstrators hurled stones at the forces, forcing them to lob several rounds of tear gas shells, he said.

Demonstrators claimed that some of them sustained minor injuries as a result of the clash.

The 'cease work', effectively a shutdown, affected normal life in the Imphal Valley districts, with markets and other commercial establishments remaining closed since the morning.

Public vehicles remained off the road, and classes were suspended at all schools and colleges in these districts.

Manipur has been under the President's Rule since February after CM N Biren Singh, who led a BJP government, resigned amid criticism of his administration's handling of the ethnic violence, which broke out in May 2023 and claimed over 260 lives.