Manipur CM chairs Unified Command meet after deadly unrest in Bishnupur

Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh, on April 8, chaired a Unified Command meeting to assess the law and order situation, a day after fresh violence in Bishnupur district left four people dead.

According to officials, the meeting brought together top civil and security leadership, including the Home Minister, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and senior officers from multiple central forces. In a post on X, the chief minister said, “Chaired a Combined Headquarters Security (Unified Command) Meeting today at the Secretariat… attended by Hon’ble Home Minister Shri K. Govindas, the Chief Secretary, Security Adviser, DGP, and senior officials from the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and SSB.”

He said the review focused on “the prevailing law and order situation and associated security concerns”, adding that measures were discussed “to effectively respond to the current challenges and to ensure the restoration and maintenance of peace, stability, and public safety.” Singh reiterated that the government “remains firmly committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard the lives and interests of the people”.

The review followed a deadly bomb attack in Moirang Tronglaobi on Tuesday that killed two children. Police said two more people died later when a mob stormed a CRPF camp in the district during protests against the blast.

Condemning the attack earlier, Singh described it as a “barbaric act” and “an outright assault on humanity and a direct attempt to derail the hard-earned peace in Manipur”. He added that the investigation would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency, stating, “Those responsible will be identified, hunted down and dealt with firmly under the law.”

Tensions escalated further when protesters gathered near a CRPF camp at Gelmol. State Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said he had appealed to demonstrators not to enter the premises. “I had urged the protesters not to enter the CRPF camp and to allow security forces to focus on conducting an operation,” he said.

Despite the warning, the crowd entered the camp, set vehicles ablaze and damaged property, triggering a response from security personnel. “They fired either in self-defence or in anger. Two persons, unfortunately, died in the firing, while five others sustained bullet injuries,” the minister said.

Later, Manipur Police said that at least 20 people were injured in the incident.

Security measures were tightened across five valley districts on Wednesday. A senior officer said the situation remained tense but under control, with curfew, internet suspension and heavy deployment of forces in place.

The latest unrest comes against the backdrop of prolonged ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups that has gripped the state since May 2023, leaving over 260 people dead and thousands displaced. Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 2025.