Manipur on Edge: Shutdown Marks Crisis Anniversary Amid Tensions

Manipur's Churachandpur district witnessed a complete shutdown orchestrated by the Joint Student Body, commemorating two years of ethnic strife. Despite tensions, security operations yielded arms and arrested a smuggler, ensuring safe passage for vital supplies. The unrest led to President's rule following the Chief Minister's resignation.

Life in Manipur's Churachandpur district was brought to a halt as the Joint Student Body enforced a total shutdown on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the ongoing ethnic crisis. The usually bustling streets lay deserted, with shops and educational institutions closed in solidarity with the bandh.

Meanwhile, Manipur police reported that while the situation in the state remained tense, it was under control over the past day. Security forces intensified search operations in vulnerable hill and valley districts, recovering several arms and detaining an illegal arms smuggler, according to an official press note.

Additionally, the movement of essential goods was secured with 346 and 158 vehicles being escorted along NH-2 and NH-37, respectively. Heightened security measures and convoys ensured the safe passage of these vehicles through sensitive areas. The ethnic conflict, spanning from May 2023, has left deep-seated divisions, resulting in numerous fatalities and mass displacement, ultimately leading to President's rule on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

(With inputs from agencies.)