After a Kuki officer was suspended over a video featuring armed men, a crowd stormed the Churachandpur SP office in Manipur, killing one person

In Churachandpur, Manipur, new violence erupted on Thursday night after a crowd stormed the government complex that houses the SP and DC offices, setting fire to cars and looting government property. This occurred just hours after the head constable of the district police from the Kuki-Zo community was suspended, according to an official, after he was allegedly seen in a video grab with armed men.

According to the official, hundreds of agitators broke into the office rooms and vandalized government property, setting fire to many security force-owned buses and vans.

The speaker said that security personnel have shot many rounds of tear gas shells and have used “minimum lethal force” to disperse the agitators. They are still attempting to bring the situation under control, stating that “the situation is extremely volatile.”

According to eyewitnesses, there was one fatality and up to thirty injuries during the altercation.

“Trouble started in front of the Churachandpur SP office around 7.40pm soon after the suspension order by SP Sivanand Surve went viral in various social media groups,” a witness said.

Manipur Police had posted on X earlier on the day, stating, “Today, a crowd of over 300–400 people tried to attack the SP CCP office, pelting stone, etc. In order to contain the situation, the SF (security forces), which includes the RAF, are reacting correctly by firing tear gas shells. Everything is being monitored.”

Guards in conflict-ridden Manipur.
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A video showed Head Constable Siamlalpaul with “armed men” and “sitting together with village volunteers” went viral on social media, leading to his being placed “under suspension with immediate effect until further orders”.

“This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force,” according to a police directive.

“A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14,” the notification said.

In addition to being told not to “leave the station without prior permission,” Siamlalpaul’s wages and benefits have been limited to what is allowed by law—subsistence allowance.

The event has been attributed to SP Shivanand Surve by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF).

“We will not let the SP to stay in any tribal regions if he is unable to behave fairly. He ought to withdraw the police officer’s suspension right now and depart the area in a day. If not, Mr. Surve will be fully accountable for any event that occurs in the future,” the forum said in a statement.