Imphal, April 8 – A day after a deadly bomb attack in Bishnupur district claimed the lives of two children and injured their mother, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh chaired a crucial Unified Command meeting on Wednesday to review the overall law and order situation in the state.
A senior official from the Chief Minister's Office stated that the meeting undertook a comprehensive assessment of the prevailing law and order scenario and related security concerns.
The official said that measures, in accordance with constitutional provisions, were deliberated in detail to effectively address current challenges and ensure the restoration and maintenance of peace, stability, and public safety.
Quoting the Chief Minister, the Chief Minister's Office official added that the government remains firmly committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard the lives and interests of the people and to uphold law and order across Manipur.
The high-level Unified Command meeting was attended by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, along with senior officials from the Army, Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and Sashastra Seema Bal.
Fresh tension gripped Imphal on Wednesday after protesters attempted to storm the official residences of the Chief Minister and Home Minister, demanding their immediate resignation over alleged security lapses that led to the killing of two minors in Bishnupur district early on Tuesday.
Security forces struggled to contain the agitating crowd as they worked to bring the volatile situation under control. The security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, an apex body of the Meitei community, spearheaded the protest. Volunteers of the Peace and Integrity Committee Kyamgei and All Kyamgei Meira Paibis organised a human chain on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway 2, demanding a crackdown on Kuki narco-terrorists in the aftermath of the Bishnupur district incident.
Meanwhile, the state Home Minister, along with several Members of the Legislative Assembly and representatives of the Ima Keithel (Women's Market) vendors' groups, also met the Chief Minister on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister's Office official said that during the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the current issues and conditions faced by women vendors in the market. The official added that the participants deliberated thoroughly on the present situation and explored possible measures to address their concerns.
The violence stems from a tragic incident that occurred around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, when a powerful bomb, allegedly fired by suspected Kuki militants, struck a house at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village in Bishnupur district.
A five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister were killed instantly in the blast, while their mother sustained injuries.
The victims were reportedly asleep at the time of the attack, which also caused extensive damage to the house.
Subsequently, two protesters were killed and several others injured in firing after a mob stormed a Central Reserve Police Force camp in Bishnupur. A large number of people, including women, staged massive protests condemning the killing of the two children in the bomb attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village.
According to officials, protesters stormed a Central Reserve Police Force camp near Gelmol, located a few hundred metres from the blast site, setting vehicles on fire and vandalising property.
The situation remained tense but under control across five valley districts of Manipur on Wednesday, with curfew, suspension of internet services, and heavy deployment of security forces in place.
The five affected valley districts – Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur – are predominantly inhabited by members of the Meitei community.
In a bid to prevent further escalation of violence, the Manipur government on Tuesday suspended internet and mobile data services, including broadband, for three days across these districts.
Officials said the suspension was necessary to curb the spread of misinformation and to maintain public order.
Additionally, an indefinite curfew has been imposed in Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Kakching following widespread protests over the killing of the two children.
District Magistrates of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, and Kakching have issued separate orders enforcing curfew in their respective jurisdictions from Tuesday onward.