The Sangai festival was meant to signal Manipur’s return to normalcy.

Instead, Imphal reeled under tear gas, baton charges and a surge of public anger as protesters on Thursday attempted to storm the venue of the state’s flagship tourism event during RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s first visit to the state since the conflict.

Security forces struggled to hold back the swelling crowd near Konung Mamang, where members of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) had gathered to demand that celebrations pause until the state’s year-long conflict was resolved.

The demonstrators, many of them women, marched towards the festival site despite warnings to disperse if they do not protest peacefully.

According to PTI, what began as a standoff quickly escalated. Protesters removed barricades and pushed forward, outnumbering security personnel, the forces were unable to contain the surge and fired several rounds of tear-gas shells.

A scuffle broke out near Maharaja Bodhchandra College, prompting another round of baton charges to prevent the crowd from reaching the venue.

The protesters demanded that the government first restore dignity and homes to the thousands displaced by ethnic violence since May 2023 before showcasing Manipur to the world.

Into this charged atmosphere arrived RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who embarked on a three-day visit.

He was received at Imphal airport by senior functionaries and is expected to hold a series of closed-door meetings with entrepreneurs, tribal leaders, citizens’ groups and youth organisations as part of the RSS’s centenary engagements.

The Sangai festival, suspended for two consecutive years due to the Meitei–Kuki Zo clashes, is scheduled from November 21 to 30.

Chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, in repeated appeals, urged citizens and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to support the festival, calling it a “catalyst for renewed hope” and essential for reviving tourism, empowering young people and restoring community harmony.

He cited the government’s ongoing relief efforts: “Rs 18 crore spent every month on IDP assistance, and a special relief package of Rs 523 crore from the Centre, including Rs 180 crore for home reconstruction and Rs 250 crore to restore public infrastructure in areas where displaced families will be resettled,” he said.

Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the conflict. The Centre has placed Manipur under President’s rule after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned, leaving the Assembly in suspended animation until 2027.