Mahar Regiment personnel run into women protesters
Kumbi women demonstrate desi version of Nari Shakti
Source: The Sangai Express

Moirang, April 30 2024: Mahar Regiment's midnight operation to apprehend volunteers guarding villages against Kuki militants' attacks and subsequent recovery of several arms triggered widespread protest in Kumbi today.

Amid constant firing of bullets in close proximity to unarmed women protesters, armoured vehicles rammed into vehicles used as roadblocks.

When guns were pointed at reporters covering the incidents, armoured vehicles were intentionally driven towards women protesters lying on the road.

At midnight, the personnel of the 2nd Mahar Regiment had launched an operation aimed at apprehending village volunteers guarding villages in the peripheries of Kumbi.

Mahar Regiment personnel run into women protesters

When the village volunteers escaped arrest, the Mahar Regiment personnel recovered several arms used in guarding the villages.

Notably, the villages in the peripheries have come under intense attacks launched by Kuki militants in the past.

Partly, because of the "operation against only Meitei village volunteers", womenfolk thronged the road at Kumbi to block the Mahar Regiments personnel from leaving with the seized weapons, which the women said were crucial to protect the villages from militants' attacks.

As the Mahar Regiments personnel were carrying the seized weapons, womenfolk set up roadblocks and demanded the security personnel to not confiscate the weapons used for self defence.

As heated arguments turned into a scuffle, a personnel of the Mahar Regiment allegedly twisted the arm of a woman protester triggering an intense commotion.

When the protesters asked the security forces to produce the personnel who had manhandled the woman and twisted her arm, the Mahar Regiment personnel resorted to firing shots in the air in close proximity to the women.

While some women fainted hearing the sound of the firing, the women protesters refused to move an inch and continued their demand to return the weapons "for use in defence" .

Thanga AC MLA Tongbram Robindro, Superintendent of Police of Bishnupur district and other top officers with reinforcement rushed in.

In the meantime, reinforcements of the Mahar Regiment in several armoured vehicles rushed in.

Hitting several obstacles placed on the road by protesters, the armoured vehicles drove amid the unarmed women protesters.

At Kumbi Lamlong area, the armoured vehicles of the Mahar Regiment rammed into several vehicles including a Tata vehicle and a Tipper.

Near Kumbi SDC office, women ran off the road to safety as a speeding armoured vehicle dragged a damaged car for several metres.

When the vehicles were seen intentionally driving at the women, the personnel fired in the air to disperse the protesters.

Women who were lying on the streets in protest ran to safety when the armoured vehicles didn't slow down.

Several women were injured while trying to stand up and run to safety.

A heated argument also broke out between reporters covering the incidents and the personnel of the Mahar Regiments, after the security forces tried to stop the media persons from filming and attempted to snatch the cameras.

The personnel of the Mahar Regiment pointed guns at the media persons, but the situation was controlled when an officer of the regiment intervened.

Kumbi AC MLA Sanasam Premchandra, Thanga AC MLA Tongbram Robindro spoke to the womenfolk and the Mahar Regiment officers.

The commotion subsided when Mahar Regiment said it would hand over the arms to the office of the Bishnupur SP.

The State forces' convoy and two MLAs' vehicles led the Mahar Regiment vehicles to the office of the SP Bishnupur.

As the State forces and the MLAs were waiting at the gate, the Mahar Regiment vehicles didn't stop but sped away towards Imphal.

The womenfolk who came to see the weapon handover became angry and they demanded the MLAs to keep their word.

Meanwhile, reliable sources said the arms may be handed over to Imphal Police Headquarters.