Imphal: Several people were injured after fresh incidents of clash between an irate mob and police personnel took place in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Friday evening.
Police said that the mob attacked the office of the Superintendent of Police in Kangpokpi district with stones and other weapons. Police said the SP was injured during the incident.
The Kuki organizations in Manipur have been demanding the withdrawal of the Central forces deployed recently in the Kuki-dominated districts. On Thursday the Kuki-Zo Council announced an economic blockade in all Kuki-Zo inhabited districts with immediate effect from 12:00 midnight on January 2, 2025, until 2:00 am on January 4, 2025, to stand against the blatant disregard for tribal rights and dignity.
Vehicular movement and transportation of essential commodities passing through the Kuki-Zo inhabited areas were totally restricted during the blockade.
The Kukis had been opposing the recent deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in the Kuki tribal-dominated districts and demanding immediate withdrawal of the Central Paramilitary Forces.
The fresh incidents on Friday took place on a day when former union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla was sworn in as the 19th governor of Manipur. Bhalla, a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was administered the oath of office by the High Court of Manipur Chief Justice D Krishnakumar at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan here. Bhalla retired as the Union home secretary in August 2024
It may be mentioned here that before Bhalla’s appointment, Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya was holding additional charge of Manipur. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor and said that the appointment of the retired IAS officer as the Governor showed the “serious concern” of the Centre in solving the problems of Manipur.
