Tear gas fired as Manipur valley districts strike over NRC demand

Road blockades marked the first day of a 48-hour strike called in Manipur's five valley districts to press for an NRC exercise before the Census.

The strike, called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), began at midnight on Monday.

The self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 began on August 17. The house-listing operation is scheduled from September 1 to September 30.

Supporters in several localities of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Kakching districts blocked roads using bamboo poles, discarded furniture, burning tyres and stone boulders to enforce the strike.

At Kongba and Khurai in Imphal East, bandh supporters stopped private vehicles and asked commuters to turn back or take alternative routes.

Three supporters sustained minor injuries after security forces lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them during a demonstration at Porompat in Imphal East. They were taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for treatment.

At Kwakeithel in Imphal West, protesters attempted to stop a convoy of Assam Rifles personnel, prompting security forces to fire a few tear-gas shells to disperse them, officials said.

Educational institutions and markets remained closed, although some vegetable vendors were seen operating in the evening.

Security was tightened at important junctions in Imphal, particularly along the four routes leading to the chief minister's bungalow and the Lok Bhavan.

Meanwhile, the Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee Manipur extended its support to the demand for NRC.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the government supported the demand for NRC and that the state assembly had previously passed resolutions on the issue.

The assembly had passed a resolution on August 5, 2022, urging the Centre to undertake the NRC exercise in the state. The resolution was reaffirmed on March 1, 2024.

"I request all to take another form of agitation instead of resorting to bandh and blockades as it affects daily wage earners and students," Singh said.