Manipur: Security forces resorts to firing as Meira Paibis block them delivering seized VDF weapons

Imphal: Simmering tension prevailed at Kumbi in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, on Tuesday when a large group of Meira Paibi women confronted central forces attempting to deposit confiscated weapons at the Kumbi Police Station.

The central forces resorted to firing into the air to disperse the crowd.

The women attempted to block a Casper vehicle carrying weapons, ammunition, and explosives seized from Village Defense Forces (VDF) personnel during an early morning operation, said an official.

The incident stemmed from an early morning operation (1.00 am to 6.00 am) by central forces in Kumbi hotspots, Bishnupur district, where eleven Village Defense Force (VDF) personnel were apprehended along with their weapons.

The Meira Paibis, a powerful women's activist group in Manipur, demanded the return of the confiscated weapons, arguing that unarmed VDFs are ineffective in combating the ongoing ethnic violence in the state. They also called for the unconditional release of the detained VDF members.

Officials clarified that the apprehended VDFs were released, but their weapons were retained by the police station for legal proceedings.

Tensions escalated as a large number of locals, primarily women, gathered at the Kumbi Police Station, protesting the weapon confiscation.

Significantly, Bishnupur district borders Churachandpur district, the epicenter of the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, claiming over 226 lives, including 11 security personnel.