Manipur unrest: Kangpokpi mob attacks SP M Prabhakar's office over Saibol; policemen hurt

BSF and CRPF personnel stationed at the Kuki-populated Saibol should be replaced by squads from the Kangpokpi Police, the protestors demanded

Manipur Police Security personnel during a search operation and area domination drill in Manipur | PTI

Manipur's volatile Kangpokpi witnessed a violent confrontation between a group of agitators and police on Friday evening that left several injured including Superintendent of Police (SP) M Prabhakar.

The agitating mob pelted stones at Manipur Police after the tear gas was used to disperse them in front of the SP office, reports said. Despite a police crackdown, Kangpokpi protestors refused to retreat and stood their ground on the highway near the SP office, local media added.

Earlier the day, the SP Prabhakar had promised representatives of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) to replace the current security forces stationed at Saibol with teams from Kangpokpi Police and other locally-based units. In the Kuki-inhabited Saibol, security personnel from the Valley were stationed, India Today NE said in a report.

On Tuesday, security forces had clashed with residents in Saibol during an area domination exercise causing injuries to 20 women. A joint team of security forces were then deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incidents.

During his interaction with the CoTU leaders, the SP agreed to their demand to replace BSF and CRPF men with local police and asked for three hours to send fresh units to Saibol.ย 

However, the locals were irked as the promised replacement didn't happen within the mutually agreed time. Around 7:00 PM, people started gathering Kangpokpi and it soon took the shape of a protest.

As the angry started marching towards the SP office, Manipur Police personnel stationed at the building used force to disperse the crowd, the report said. As they fired tear gas at the already volatile mob, they retaliated violently, hurting several police officers including the Superintendent.ย 

Police vehicles parked within the SP office were damaged as the angry mob threw rocks and other projectiles at them, news agency PTI reported.

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