Tension in Manipur: Case Filed After Gun Salute at Memorial Event in Kangpokpi
In a troubling development from Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, police have registered a case against the organisers of a memorial event where a group of individuals was seen giving a gun salute and carrying firearms in public. The event, held on Saturday in Saikul — a Kuki-dominated area — was meant to honour the victims of ethnic clashes that began exactly two years ago.
Under President’s Rule, the state has been on high alert, with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla warning against the possession of looted or illegal weapons. Authorities say the act of carrying guns and performing a gun salute violated the conditions under which the gathering was permitted.
The Manipur Police have since launched a series of raids, recovering five single-barrelled guns and several camouflaged uniforms. More firearms, seen in videos from the event, are yet to be seized. Local leaders and elders have been summoned to the police station for questioning, and the hunt continues for others involved in the display.
Police emphasized that no tolerance would be shown for the public display of arms, especially amid ongoing ethnic tensions between the Kuki and Meitei communities. The region has been gripped by conflict since May 2023, rooted in disputes over land rights and political representation.
Officials have reiterated that such violations threaten the fragile peace in the region, and legal action will be taken against anyone found flouting the law.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
