Manipur: Tension gripped parts of Thoubal district today as protesters blocked key roads ahead of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand’s scheduled visit. The usually busy National Highway 102 came to a halt as hundreds of Meira Paibi women took to the streets.
Members of the Thoubal District Apunba Meira Paibis blocked stretches at Thoubal Babu Bazar, Thoubal-Yairipok Lamkhai, Thoubal Athokpam, Khongjom, and Phundrei. Protesters burned tyres, scattered broken glass bottles on the road, and formed human chains to enforce a shutdown. The protest was aimed at stopping the Chief Minister’s visit to inaugurate the newly constructed Block Development Office (BDO) at Wangjing Tekcham Leikai, also known as Wangjing Tentha.
The protest had been announced earlier. On April 20, Meira Paibi leaders held a press conference at Thoubal Mela Ground and said they could not “accept celebrations while Manipur is burning.” They referred to the April 7 bomb attack in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district. In that incident, a projectile hit a house around 1 a.m., killing five-year-old Oinam Tomthin and his five-month-old sister Oinam Leisana (or Yaisana). Their mother, Oinam Binita, was critically injured, while their father, a Border Security Force jawan, was away on duty.
Meitei organisations have blamed militants from nearby hill areas dominated by Kuki-Zo groups, though investigations are still ongoing. The incident triggered widespread protests across the valley, including shutdowns, torch rallies, and clashes with security forces in Imphal, Kakching, and other areas.
By early morning on April 21, protests intensified in Thoubal. Demonstrators raised slogans demanding immediate arrests and an end to “narco-terrorism.” They said no public function should be held until justice was delivered. However, a separate group, Wangjing Apunba Meira Paibi Lup, appealed to residents to welcome the Chief Minister. They said the BDO office was a long-pending demand and important for local development. The appeal highlighted divisions within Meira Paibi groups.
Anticipating unrest, the Chief Minister changed his travel plan. Instead of travelling by road, he flew by helicopter from Imphal to Khongjom and then took a short road route under heavy security. Security forces cleared roads and removed debris.
Tensions escalated when protesters moved toward the inauguration site and near an Assam Rifles camp. Security personnel fired tear gas shells and shots in the air to disperse the crowd. At least one protester was reported injured. Blockades continued in several areas, affecting normal life.
Despite the situation, Khemchand inaugurated the BDO office under tight security and later returned by helicopter. He expressed disappointment at being blocked while the state is trying to restore normalcy after ethnic violence that began in 2023 and has claimed over 260 lives.
The government has held meetings with Joint Action Committees and Meira Paibi groups and promised action. It has also suspended internet services in valley districts, imposed restrictions, and deployed additional forces to control the situation.
