Women protest near Manipur CM's secretariat

Officials said that the demonstrators, led by women, even dared police to arrest them, and were also seen burning tyres in the middle of the road to prevent police movement.

Imphal (Manipur): Hundreds of women on Friday gathered at Nupi Lal Complex, some 100 metres from Manipur chief minister's secretariat and Raj Bhavan, urging CM N Biren Singh not to resign in the wake of the violence that has hit the northeastern state for nearly two months now.

Sources said there were strong rumours in Imphal that the chief minister was contemplating resigning from the post, especially after renewed violence in the state on Thursday that claimed three more lives and left 5 injured. Kshetrimayum Shanti, a women leader said, At this critical juncture, the Biren Singh government should stand firm and crack down on troublemakers.

The toll in exchange of fire between security forces and suspected rioters in Kangpokpi district a day before, rose to three on Friday, with one more person succumbing to injuries in hospital, officials said. Armed rioters had opened unprovoked firing at Haraothel village on Thursday. The Army said security forces personnel "responded in a calibrated manner" to tackle the situation, they said.

Members of the community to which two of the rioters belonged collected their bodies on Thursday and took out a procession to the CM's residence here, they said. The demonstrators, led by women, even dared police to arrest them, and were also seen burning tyres in the middle of the road to prevent police movement, the officials said.

As security personnel stopped them from marching to Singh's residence, the processionists turned violent, prompting police to use tear gas shells and resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. (PTI)