A violent clash marred the first day of the reintroduced free movement policy in Manipur, leaving one person dead and ten others injured in Kangpokpi district. The incident occurred on Saturday morning as protesters and security forces confronted each other amid heightened tensions in the strife-torn state.
According to police sources, the violence broke out in the Gamgiphai area when a group of protesters, reportedly opposing the free movement directive, blocked a key road connecting Imphal and Senapati. The policy, announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah as a step toward restoring normalcy, was intended to ease travel restrictions imposed since ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted in May 2023. However, the decision has faced resistance from local groups wary of its implications in a region still reeling from over 20 months of unrest.
Eyewitnesses reported that the situation escalated when security forces, including personnel from the Assam Rifles and state police, attempted to disperse the crowd. Stones were hurled at the forces, who responded with tear gas and baton charges. Amid the chaos, gunfire broke out, though it remains unclear whether it originated from the protesters or security personnel. One individual, identified as a 28-year-old local resident, was fatally shot, while ten others sustained injuries ranging from bullet wounds to fractures caused by the melee.
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“We were trying to maintain order, but the situation spiraled quickly,” a senior police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The use of force was necessary to prevent further escalation, but we are investigating the circumstances of the death.” The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where three are said to be in critical condition.
The free movement policy, which lifts earlier curfews and travel restrictions, had been hailed by some as a sign of progress after months of relative calm. However, Saturday’s violence underscores the fragile peace in Manipur, where over 258 lives have been lost since May 2023, according to state Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh. The ethnic divide between the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and the Kuki-dominated hill districts continues to fuel sporadic clashes, with both communities expressing distrust over government initiatives.
Local leaders condemned the incident. A Kuki community spokesperson called it “a failure of the state to protect its people,” while a Meitei activist accused security forces of “heavy-handed tactics.” The Manipur government has yet to issue an official statement, but sources indicate that additional Central Armed Police Force units may be deployed to stabilize the region.
Saturday’s unrest follows a pattern of violence linked to the free movement policy’s enforcement. Earlier in the day, a mob attacked a bus in the same district, pelting it with stones and prompting a tear gas response from security forces. The incident in Gamgiphai, however, marks the deadliest clash since the policy’s reintroduction
