Villagers from Thamnapokpi, Sanasabi, and Yaingangpokpi in Manipur have launched protests, urging authorities not to withdraw central forces like the CRPF and BSF from Uyok hills. These forces were deployed to Saibol village, near the Imphal East border, following recent clashes between militants and security personnel. Demonstrators fear that under pressure from Kuki groups, the forces might be removed, leaving their villages vulnerable to renewed attacks by armed miscreants.
Tensions escalated in the region after a mob attacked the Kangpokpi district Superintendent of Police’s office on January 3, protesting the officer’s perceived inaction in removing central forces from Saibol. The unrest stems from a December 31 incident where security forces allegedly lathi-charged women protesters in Saibol. Villagers claim that the withdrawal of central forces would allow militants to target low-lying villages again, as they did last month when gunfire injured four people, including a policeman.
Since May 2023, Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence between the Kuki and Meitei communities, resulting in over 250 deaths and thousands displaced. The deployment of central forces to dismantle illegal bunkers in Saibol was seen as a measure to restore order. However, the ongoing protests and fears of renewed violence underscore the fragile situation in the region.
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