Five-day shutdown across Manipur over Tronglaobi bomb attack; Meira Paibis set April 25 deadline for arrests

A five-day statewide shutdown has been called across Manipur starting Sunday (April 19), as women’s groups and civil society organisations intensified their demand for justice in the Tronglaobi bomb attack.

The call was jointly announced by Meira Paibis, various civil society organisations, and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed against the incident. The groups resolved to impose the shutdown as part of escalating protests over the attack, which claimed the lives of two children and their mother, and was followed by further unrest in which three protesters also died.

Meira Paibi leader Chanambam Maipaktombi Devi said the shutdown is being observed in strong condemnation of the incident and to press for immediate action. The groups have set April 25 as the deadline for authorities to arrest all those involved and fulfil the demands raised by the JAC, warning of intensified agitation if their demands are not met within the stipulated timeframe.

Among the key demands are the arrest of all perpetrators linked to the attack, a military crackdown on suspected Kuki militants, replacement of central forces with state forces in peripheral areas, and a judicial inquiry into the role of specific security units. The JAC has alleged negligence on the part of the 8 Battalion CRPF stationed at P. Gelmon area and the 2 J&K Light Infantry Company at Tronglaobi.

Protests over the incident have been ongoing, with demonstrations reported both during the day and at night in different parts of the state.

Meanwhile, the case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency, which has initiated a probe. The state’s Home Minister recently stated that five cadres of the United Kuki National Army, suspected to be involved in the attack, have been arrested so far.