Liangmai Nagas rally against Lailon Vaiphei Kuki villagers
Liangmai Nagas rally against Lailon Vaiphei Kuki villagers

IMPHAL: A minor scuffle broke out between police and protesters on National Highway-2, Imphal-Dimapur road at Kanglatongbi point in Manipur on Thursday.

The land dispute between two villages – Konsakhul and Leilon has finally brought to the protest rally.

On Thursday, the protest was held under the banner, ‘Rally against the abduction of innocent civilians and attempt to murder by Leilon Vaiphei villagers.’

It was organized by  Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi Manipur (LNKR) (Liangmai Naga Students’ Union, Eastern Zone).

The scuffle broke out when the police tried to stop the rally from its further proceeding down the NH-2.

Eventually, the cops managed to control the protesters, and the rally culminated at Kanglatongbi.

There is no report of any injury on both side.

Most of the protesters including females held placards that read ‘Go Back Illegal-immigrants”’, ‘We want Justice’, ‘Illegal immigrants can’t be land owners’ etc.

Amidst tight security and strict vigil of the Imphal West district police, the mass rally kicked off at around 10 AM from IGNOU Campus in Makhan Village, Kangpokpi district.

On the sidelines of the rally, Timothy Chawang, chairman of LNSU, Eastern Zone said that the rally showed their condemnation of the frequent intimidation of innocent Khonsakhul villagers by the neighboring Lailon Vaiphei Villagers.

They are also demanding the arrests of those involved in the March 26 detention and assault of two villagers of Khonsakhul, setting ablaze their two-wheelers, destruction of one JCB vehicle, and booking the police personnel who had thrashed the two innocent Khonsakhul villagers.

Notably, the state government, because of the tension, has imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC 144 in the general area of these two warring villages – Konsakhul and Leilon and has deployed a large number of police personnel for maintaining peace and tranquility in these villages.