Manipur on Edge: Cop Critical After Clash With Protesters in Wangjing

Ethnic tensions in Manipur continued to simmer on Monday night after violence broke out in Wangjing, where a policeman was critically injured during a clash between protesters and security forces.

The incident occurred just a day before Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand was scheduled to inaugurate the office. Security forces intervened in time and managed to prevent the building from being torched, bringing the situation under control.

According to officials, a large group of protesters gathered near a newly built Block Development Office (BDO) and attempted to set the building on fire. 

However, the confrontation quickly turned violent. Takhelchangbam Romesh Sharma, 37, a policeman posted at the Wangjing outpost, suffered serious head injuries during the clash. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit, where his condition remains critical.

The unrest comes amid growing protests across the state. In several districts, people have been holding nighttime torch rallies, demanding justice for a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister who were killed in an explosion in Tronglaobi earlier this month. 
.
Despite a curfew imposed from 5 pm to 5 am in five districts, thousands have continued to take part in demonstrations.  On Sunday, police arrested 19 individuals from different parts of the greater Imphal area for supporting a bandh linked to the protests.

A five-day shutdown, called in response to the Tronglaobi killings, began at midnight on Sunday across five districts. At the same time, the United Naga Council announced a separate 72-hour shutdown in Naga-dominated areas, protesting the killing of two Tangkhul Nagas. 

The state government has said the ambush case will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency to ensure a transparent probe.

Tensions in Manipur have been high since April 7, when the two children were killed in the Tronglaobi blast. On the same day, three more people died in Bishnupur after security forces allegedly opened fire on a mob that had stormed a paramilitary camp during protests. The camp was also vandalised.

Even after a large deployment of security forces, the Violence in Manipur has continued sporadically since ethnic clashes first erupted in May 2023. More than 260 people have been killed, and around 60,000 displaced.

The conflict initially began between the Meitei and Kuki communities but gradually spread, drawing in other groups across the state.