A man was killed and over 40 suffered injuries as the Manipur administration’s move to resume bus services from Saturday, to ensure “free movement” between the hills and the valley, ran into massive protests in Kuki-Zo-majority Kangpokpi district.

The development deepened the tensions, with the Kuki-Zo Council calling for an “indefinite shutdown” in all Kuki-Zo areas from midnight, condemning the government’s attempt to send Meiteis into Kuki-Zo areas despite “warnings” against any such move.

Lalgouthang Singsit, 30, died of bullet injuries during clashes with security forces at Keithelmanbi after a Senapati-bound bus from Imphal entered Kangpokpi district around 11.30am and ran into protests, led by Tricolour-waving women.

However, another bus — from Imphal to Kuki-Zo-majority Churachandpur and back — met with “no resistance”. Sources said this bus had no passengers when it reached Churachandpur. Transport officials did not comment.

These were the only two buses the government ran on Saturday, both leaving from Imphal airport sometime after 9am with central force escorts. The bus bound for Naga-majority Senapati, which carried two passengers, was stranded in Kangpokpi but its two crew members were being brought back to Imphal, sources said.

There was no word whether buses would be run on Sunday.

The bus services were resumed following a March 1 meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah that decided to ensure “free movement” on all roads between the tribal-dominated hills and the Meitei-majority valley from March 8.

However, Saturday’s violence — sources said 16 protesters and 27 security personnel were injured — underlined how volatile the situation was despite the apparent calm since December. The police said two personnel were critical.

Kuki-Zo organisations castigated the resumption of bus services without a political resolution — in the form of a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zos — to the 22-month-old ethnic conflict that has killed at least 261 people, left 60,000 homeless and segregated populations. They found an echo on the streets.

“Statements were issued against the free movement (plan). Why would we allow them (Meiteis) to come to the hills when we can’t go to Imphal?” a Kuki-Zo woman said.

“How can we forget how we were butchered and paraded naked; how our houses were looted and burnt? Why isn’t the government looking to resolve the core issue first?”

Vehicles torched

Two security force vehicles were burnt in protest at the forces’ actions to disperse protesters in Kangpokpi town, Gamgiphai and Keithelmanbi, reports said.

They added that the forces fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets while protesters pelted vehicles with stones and obstructed the movement of the Imphal-Senapati bus by burning tyres on the highway and blocking it with boulders. Several two-wheelers
were damaged.

The police said there was firing by the protesters, prompting the forces to retaliate. The forces “showed tremendous restraint”, they added.

In a statement on Saturday night, the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) “condemned the government action which (has) aggravated tension in the region by allowing Meitei people to move into Kuki-Zo areas, despite repeated warnings of potential violence”.

The KSO said at least one person had died and over 50 had been injured. It said it “fully endorsed the indefinite shutdown in all Kuki-zos areas”.

A government statement had on Friday evening said that “in case anyone is found involved in any act disturbing the movement of the MST Buses, he/ she shall be prosecuted under relevant laws”.

Protesters had begun gathering in Kangpokpi with the twin objectives of blocking the Imphal-Senapati bus and thwarting a “peace expedition” – also from Imphal to Senapati -- organised by the Imphal-based Federation of Civil Society (FOCS).

But the police stopped the FOCS rally of 10 vehicles at Sekmai in Imphal West since it lacked permission for the programme. The participants were asked to travel in government-arranged buses, which the organisation declined.

Just hours before the state government announced – on Friday evening --- the resumption of bus services, the KZC had “welcomed” the Union home ministry’s move to enforce the free movement of essential commodities within the state.

“However, until and unless there can be a pact for cessation of hostilities between the warring communities, the KZC cannot guarantee free movement of people across buffer zones and cannottake responsibility for anyuntoward incidents,” the council said.