Manipur valley sees mass protests against arrests and PR

Imphal: Widespread protests erupted across Manipur's valley regions on Friday night, with residents denouncing the arrests of village volunteers and the imposition of President's Rule.

Torchlight rallies and sit-in demonstrations were held in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Bishnupur districts, demanding the restoration of normalcy and the immediate formation of a new state government.

In Imphal West, the Lamlongei Youth Progressive Club and local Meira Paibis (women's groups) staged a sit-in protest at Mantripukhruk market. Similar torchlight protests were conducted in Phukhao, Khundrakpam, and Ahanlup in Imphal East.

Protesters carried placards demanding the revocation of President's Rule and the establishment of a new government. A Meira Paibi leader in Khundrakpam criticized the central government's "one-sided" arrests of village volunteers and weapon seizures.

In Bishnupur, a sit-in protest disrupted traffic at Moirang bazaar. K Padmabati, president of the Moirang Apunba Meira Paibi Lup (MAMPIL), emphasized the vital role of village volunteers during the ongoing conflict and urged the central government to avoid biased actions.