Several Hurt In Manipur After Rally Protesting 'Encroachment' Of Tribal Lands Turns Violent

Several protesters and security force personnel got injured in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district after a protest rally turned violent.

Clashes break out in Manipur ( Image Source :ANI | Twitter )

Manipur Violence: Several protesters and security force personnel got injured in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district after a protest rally turned violent. People were protesting over the alleged injustice of the state government against the land rights of the tribal population, reported ANI. 

#WATCH | Several protesters & members of security forces in Kangpokpi district, Manipur injured as a protest rally turned violent. The incident of violence was reported.

People were protesting over the alleged injustice of state govt against land rights of tribal population. pic.twitter.com/7tAdNYvyzv

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023

According to PTI, violent clashes broke out after police tried to stop locals who organised a protest rally. The locals alleged encroachment of tribal lands by reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries. 

Earlier on Friday, people gathered in large numbers near Thomas in Kangpokpi town for the protest rally called by different bodies, defying prohibitory orders including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), police said, as quoted by PTI. 

However, a scuffle broke out when police tried to disperse the protesters, which lead to violent clashes. 

PTI reported citing officials that at least five protestors were wounded as security forces threw teargas shells at the locals. They added that a few police personnel also sustained injuries after being hit by stones. 

The situation was later brought under control, they said. 

Reacting to the clashes, Manipur CM N Biren Singh said the protesters were challenging the constitutional provisions. 

"They were challenging the constitutional provisions... the people there were encroaching reserved forests, protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries for poppy plantation and drugs business. That's the reason why the rally was organised," he said, as quoted by PTI. 

The protesters later submitted a memorandum to Governor Anusuiya Uikey through Kangpokpi deputy commissioner Kengoo Zuringla. Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts on Thursday, PTI added. 

This comes after Leftist parties in Tripura attacked the governing BJP on Thursday for post-election violence in the state, accusing its followers of ransacking and burning down the homes of opposition party members and damaging their party offices, news agency PTI reported. 

People's Democracy, the CPIM's party mouthpiece, accused the BJP of unleashing a "orgy of violence," claiming that as of March 6, about 1,000 cases of assaults and violence by "BJP gangs" had occurred across the state. 

"These were in the form of physical attacks on CPI(M), Left Front and Congress workers and supporters, ransacking or burning of their houses and demolition of party offices. A particularly vicious form of attack is meant to destroy their means of livelihood like burning down rubber plantations, crops and damaging their e-rickshaws and vehicles to stop them from plying," the party was quoted by PTI in its report.