Demonstrators storm hospital premises in Imphal, alleging the injured were militants; security forces intervene to restore order
Imphal: Tension gripped the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal after security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters opposing the treatment of three injured Kuki men admitted to the hospital.
The three individuals were brought to RIMS after sustaining injuries in an exchange of gunfire near Leilon Vaiphei and Konsakhul villages in Kangpokpi district earlier in the day.
A large crowd, comprising members of the Naga and Meitei communities, gathered outside the hospital and later entered the campus, raising slogans and objecting to the admission of the injured men. Protesters alleged that the individuals were militants and questioned why security forces had escorted them to the medical facility.
As tensions escalated and some demonstrators reportedly attempted to move towards the emergency ward, security personnel used tear gas to clear the premises and restore order.
Speaking to the media, All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) leader T.P. Daning alleged that the incident reflected “open support for militants” and demanded accountability from the authorities.
However, Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity member Thangtinlen Haokip condemned the protests, stating, “RIMS is not for any particular community. Denying treatment to injured people on ethnic grounds is unacceptable.”
Security was intensified in and around the hospital following the incident. No immediate reports of additional injuries or arrests were available, while authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the allegations raised by protesters.
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