Indefinite shutdown paralyses Kuki-Zo areas
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 09 2025: The indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has brought normal life to a standstill across Kuki-Zo-dominated areas, including Kangpokpi, Moreh, and Churachandpur, following the death of one Lalgouthang Singsit during a violent confrontation between protestors and security forces at Keithelmanbi Military Colony in Kangpokpi district on Saturday.

Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Jiribam & Tamenglong and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) have condemned the use of force against protesters and endorsed the shutdown.

Our Kangpokpi correspondent reported that Kuki-Zo people in the district enforced the indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) following Saturday's incident.

Indefinite shutdown paralyses Kuki-Zo areas

The shutdown, which began at midnight, has paralysed life in the district.

Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women ensured strict compliance, shutting down all shops, businesses, private institutions, and schools while allowing only emergency services.

A meeting held at Keithelmanbi Military Colony, attended by CoTU, Kuki Inpi, and KSO, decided that Singsit's body would not be claimed.

Meanwhile, Kuki-Zo women mourned at District Hospital Kangpokpi, where the body remains in the morgue.

CoTU spokesperson Ng Lun Kipgen held SP Kangpokpi responsible for Singsit's death and for damages to homes, an ambulance, and private vehicles in Keithelmanbi.

Calling it "high-handedness and brutal", he urged the Governor to transfer the officer "if peace is to be restored" .

CoTU has also backed the KZC-led shutdown, vowing that businesses and institutions will remain shut and protests will continue.

The indefinite shutdown was also enforced in Moreh in Tengnoupal district, where shops and establishments downed shutters.

Security was heightened in the border town as police took preventive measures to avoid any untoward incidents.

In Churachandpur, protestors blocked roads and burned tyres as a show of defiance.

However, there were no reports of any unwanted incidents though the shutdown paralysed normal life in Kuki-Zo dominated areas.

Authorities remained on high alert as tensions persisted, with security forces closely monitoring the situation.

Despite the absence of major clashes, the situation remains charged as protestors continued their agitation.

Mention may be made that large number of Kuki protestors blocked the NH 2 at Gamgiphai as state transport bus under tight security escort resumed service on Saturday.

One protestor was killed and over two dozens injured in the violent confrontation between protestors and security forces.

At least one vehicle was torched by protestors.

Police said that the security forces came under fire from amongst the protestors and had to respond while exercising extreme caution.

During the confrontation, 27 security personnel were injured of which two are in serious condition, police added.

Meanwhile, KSO, Jiribam & Tamenglong District and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) have condemned alleged excessive use of force by security personnel against Kuki-Zo protesters, particularly the assault on women.

They accused the government of inciting further enmity between the Kuki-Zo and Meeteis instead of restoring peace through mutual understanding and respect.

The KSO asserted that true peace can only be achieved through a political solution in the form of Union Territory and rejected any attempt to impose peace at the cost of their land.

Declaring their endorsement of the Kuki-Zo Council's indefinite shutdown, the students' body also announced blockade of NH-37 from Saturday midnight, exempting only medical emergencies and pre-scheduled religious events.

ITLF, while mourning Lalgouthang Singsit and the injured protesters, reaffirmed its solidarity with the movement.

Stating that the government may take their lives but not their freedom and rights, ITLF urged the public to adhere to the indefinite shutdown across all Kuki-Zo areas.

Ginza Vualzong, spokesman of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a constituent of the KZC, claimed that the indefinite shutdown is total and successful in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Pherzawl districts.

However, police officials said that the shutdown badly affected normal life in Kangpokpi district and partially affected the other Kuld-Zo-dominated districts.

A police official in Imphal said that a huge contingent of security forces, comprising both Central and state forces, have been deployed on Sunday in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl and Jiribam districts.

Senior officials are monitoring the situation, the official said, adding that no untoward incident was reported so far from any of the trouble-torn districts.

A senior police official said that as per the decision of the state government, bus services were resumed on Saturday by the Manipur State Transport Corporation under security to alleviate public inconvenience and as an initiative to bring back normalcy in the state.

MSTC buses and other vehicles carrying LPG gas and oil tankers plied along the Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur and Churachandpur-Bishnupur-Imphal routes without any disturbance from the people.

However, when the MSTC bus plied along the Imphal- Kangpokpi - Senapati route, a huge mob started pelting stones towards the bus at Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi.

The security forces used tear gas and minimum force to disperse the unruly mob.

Further, roadblocks were put up at various other places along the National Highway with huge numbers of protestors including women and children trying to immobilise the movement of the bus and the security forces by felling trees, putting huge stones and boulders on the road, and burning tyres, the official said.

Amidst the protest, there were incidents of firing from amongst the protestors towards the security forces, in which the security forces retaliated, the official said.

He said that due to heavy pelting of stones, use of catapults and random firing by armed elements from amongst the protestors, 27 security personnel suffered injuries with two personnel critically injured.

The security forces showed tremendous restraint while trying to control the unruly and violent mob and used minimum force to control and counter the anti-social elements, including the firing by armed attackers, the official said.

Two vehicles of the security forces were also burnt down by the protesters on Saturday, the official added.

(With inputs from IANS, PTI) .