At least 43 people including 27 security personnel were injured and a protester was killed during the clashes in different districts as the Kuki-Zo tribal organisations protested against the resumption of the bus services between Imphal and the hill districts.
A senior police official said that as per the decision of the state government, bus services were resumed by Manipur State Transport Corporation under security escort to alleviate public inconveniences as an initiative to bring back normalcy in the state from Saturday.
MSTC uses and other vehicles carrying LPG gas and oil tankers plied along 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 District. 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, 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.
He said that due to heavy pelting of stones, use of catapults and random firing by armed miscreants from amongst the protestors, 27 security personnel suffered injury 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 miscreants from among the protestors.
During the skirmish, 16 protestors were reportedly injured and one protestor succumbed to his injuries. Two vehicles of the security forces were also burnt down by the protesters.
Further, it is to clarify that claims made by Press Releases of Kuki Zo Council and Kuki Students’ Organization on Saturday, that security forces were escorting local protestors are totally baseless and false, the police official said.
Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts And recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition.
As per the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Manipur government on Friday announced the resumption of passenger bus services from Saturday between Imphal and four other districts — Senapati, Kangpokpi, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.
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