Churachandpur (Manipur), March 22 A group of people attempted to storm the residence of the chairman of the Kuki Zo Council (KZC) in Churachandpur district, Manipur, on Sunday, but security forces thwarted the attempt by firing tear gas shells, officials said.
The incident occurred a day after Manipur Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh held talks with the Kuki Zo Council, a civil society organization, in Guwahati, in an effort to rebuild trust between the two warring sides, the Meiteis and the Kukis.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. President's Rule was imposed in the northeastern state in February 2025. A popular government, led by Singh, was formed in February of this year.
A large number of young people threw stones and attempted to enter the residential premises of KZC Chairman H. Thanglet in the district headquarters town in the afternoon, the official said.
However, security forces, who had been on alert since Saturday evening, quickly intervened and fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the young people, the officials said.
Tension remains high in the area, and additional forces have been deployed to prevent any unwanted incident, they said.
Earlier in the day, the KZC said in a statement that the meeting with the CM lasted around 1 hour and 45 minutes, and the interaction was largely an ice-breaking session.
The KZC said that its delegation raised several key issues during the meeting, and the CM gave a patient hearing.
"The chief minister, in turn, shared his concerns, commitments, and the steps undertaken by his government in restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur. He expressed high appreciation for the KZC's initiative and its bold step in engaging with him during this challenging period," the statement said.