A sea of fire lit up Imphal’s night sky before clashes, smoke, and panic engulfed the streets during a volatile confrontation with security personnel.
BY PC Bureau
, April 19, 2026 — Another night of intense protests engulfed parts of Imphal on Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday, as hundreds of demonstrators, many of them women, staged a torch rally demanding justice for two children killed in a bomb attack earlier this month. The march quickly turned chaotic, with security forces firing tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd, leading to clashes, stone-pelting, injuries, and widespread panic that lasted until nearly 1 a.m.
The protest was organised by a coalition of civil society groups, including the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), AMAWOVA, COHR, MSF, and PLMPAM. Protesters carried flaming torches and marched nearly 5–6 kilometres through the streets of Imphal, raising slogans for the immediate arrest and strict punishment of those responsible for the April 7 blast in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, in the Moirang area of Bishnupur district. They also called for stronger military action against armed groups operating in the region.
Thousands of protesters, many of them women, marched through the streets carrying flaming torches, their firelight flickering against the night sky as waves of slogans echoed through Imphal..
As the torch rally reached barricaded points in Khurai Lamlong, tensions spiralled into open confrontation, with protesters pelting stones and, according to reports, using slingshots as they attempted to push through security cordons. Security forces responded with repeated rounds of tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the advancing crowd, triggering chaotic scenes as thick smoke engulfed the area. The clash intensified around the barricades as protesters scattered, regrouped, and continued defying the dispersal, turning the standoff into a volatile night of street confrontation.
The loud explosions and acrid smoke created scenes of chaos in the normally busy market area, sending residents scurrying indoors in fear. Amid the acrid fumes, sirens, and shouting, the night descended into scenes of confusion and turmoil, with firelight, smoke, and confrontation colliding in a volatile spectacle.
At least five people were injured in the scuffle and subsequent dispersal operation. The sound of tear gas canisters firing echoed through the neighbourhood, heightening the sense of panic that persisted well past midnight. Local residents described the atmosphere as tense and fearful, with many worried about further escalation.
This was not an isolated incident. Just a day earlier, on April 18 evening, thousands of protesters had defied prohibitory orders in Imphal West’s Singjamei area, holding a similar torch rally over the same tragedy. That protest also turned violent, prompting security forces to use tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd.
READ: Ukhrul Killings: Naga Bodies Blame Kuki Militants, Seek Dy CM Nemcha’s Resignation
The unrest stems from the April 7 mortar-shell attack on a civilian home in Tronglaobi, which killed a five-year-old boy and his infant sister instantly and left their mother critically injured. The explosion, reportedly fired from nearby hill areas between 4 and 5 a.m., has reignited public anger in the already violence-hit state. Security forces have launched combing operations, and five suspected cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) have been arrested. The case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which dispatched a special team to the village on April 11.
18/04/2026
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗦 𝘃𝘀. 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗿; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 #𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮. #𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗜𝘀𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿
The Meira rally in #Manipur continues after two siblings were killed by #KukiTerrorists and three civilians were killed… https://t.co/mD6pqVGJPU pic.twitter.com/B018uTSoyM
— BeeThangjam (@beethangjam) April 18, 2026
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met the bereaved family on April 16 and assured them of full government support and swift justice. He has also been conducting outreach visits to villages in Ukhrul district to promote communal harmony through dialogue.
As Manipur continues to grapple with ethnic tensions and sporadic violence, Saturday night’s torch rally and the ensuing chaos have once again highlighted deep public frustration over security lapses and the slow pace of accountability. Authorities have appealed for calm even as prohibitory orders remain in place in several parts of the capital.
No arrests related to the latest clash have been officially confirmed so far, but the situation remains tense, with fears of further protests in the coming days. The people of Imphal, already scarred by years of conflict, are demanding not just justice for the slain children, but concrete steps to prevent such tragedies from recurring in their fragile valley-and-hill landscape.
