Tensions erupted in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Sunday after a mob clashed with security forces over the detention of two youths for allegedly vandalising banners and cutouts installed to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said.
On September 11 night, several banners and cutouts put up at Pearsonmun and Phailien Bazaar to welcome the Prime Minister were vandalized. Several youths were taken into custody in connection with the incident. While most were released after questioning, two remained in police custody.
This led to a mob gathering near the Churachandpur police station, demanding their immediate release. The situation escalated when protesters began pelting stones at security forces. Tensions eventually eased after the police released the two individuals.
Authorities clarified that the youths had not been arbitrarily detained. “The two were not randomly picked up, as claimed by the protesters, but were taken from the site of vandalism for questioning,” a district police officer told the media.
Prime Minister Modi visited the state on Saturday for the first time since ethnic clashes erupted between Kukis and Meiteis in May 2023.
During his visit, he addressed public rallies in the Kuki-majority Churachandpur and Meitei-dominated Imphal, pledging to transform the state into a “symbol of peace.”
The Prime Minister also met residents affected by the violence and inaugurated several developmental projects.