๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซโ๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ: ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐
Security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in the hill town of Churachandpur district in Manipur on Thursday. The incident occurred when tribal women attacked the official residence of BJP MLA L M Khaute.
Personnel from theย Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) stopped the protesters, triggering stone-pelting and clashes between the community members and security forces around 11:00 am.
Festoons and placards carried by the protesters read, โLM Khaute sold outโ and โOur voices unheard.โ The Vaiphei Womenโs Association, Churachandpur, organised the protest.
The demonstrators raised slogans demanding that LM Khaute step down and reiterated their demand for a Separate Administration. They also chanted, โWe donโt want a popular governmentโ and โDonโt play with our blood.โ
The protests by tribal women intensified afterย Kuki-Zo MLAsย including Nemcha Kipgen, L M Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate participated in the Manipur Assembly session virtually from New Delhi.
Their participation marked their remote attendance at the session. Nemcha Kipgen, a leader of the Kuki community, was inducted as Deputy Chief Minister in theย Yumnam Khemchand-led government, which was sworn in on February 4, 2026.
The Kuki-Zo people in Manipur have been demanding a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory (UT) with a legislature under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution.
The demand stems from calls for political autonomy and security, as well as claims of an inability to coexist with the Meitei community following the ethnic violence that began in May 2023. They seek a distinct administrative structure for the hill districts to address concerns related to security, land rights and rehabilitation.
However, the demand, which intensified after the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023, has faced strong resistance from the Central government. The Centre has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the territorial integrity of Manipur.
