A torchlight vigil in Manipur’s Kakching district demanding an update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census exercise turned violent on Sunday night, after some protesters allegedly pelted police with stones. The police responded by firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, officials said on Monday.
Hundreds of villagers from Wabagai, Hiyanglam and adjoining areas took part in the nearly 3-km-long march, raising slogans of “No NRC, No Census”.
The protesters opposed the Census exercise until internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the ethnic violence are resettled.
As the procession moved towards the Kakching district headquarters, police stopped the protesters near the Keirak Dam area and asked them to return, officials said.
The situation soon escalated after some protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting. Police fired several tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, leaving a few protesters with minor injuries, officials said.
Manipur has remained affected by ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the hill-based Kukis since May 2023. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the violence.
(With inputs from PTI)