Churachandpur Sees Fresh Tension as Protests Oppose ‘Popular Government’ 

Tension gripped parts of Churachandpur district on Thursday, February 5, after protests broke out in the Tuibong area, with demonstrators expressing strong opposition to the recently formed “popular government.” The situation remained sensitive through the day, leading authorities to deploy additional security forces to prevent the unrest from spreading.

According to officials, the protests began in the early hours following anger among sections of the public over Kuki MLAs extending support to the new government. Protesters alleged that the MLAs had acted against the wishes of the community, particularly amid the ongoing demand for a separate administrative arrangement.

Demonstrators were seen reiterating that they would not accept or cooperate with the popular government unless their demand was addressed. Discontent intensified after the government was formed with the presence of Kuki representatives, including Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and MLAs L.M. Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate. Many protesters viewed their participation as a departure from long-held community positions.

The agitation escalated sharply when two individuals allegedly attempted self-immolation as a form of protest. Police personnel intervened swiftly, preventing serious harm. Later in the evening, around 6 PM, the situation worsened, with isolated clashes reported despite heavy security deployment.

Sources confirmed that several protesters sustained injuries during the confrontations, though no fatalities were reported. Security forces continued area domination and crowd-control measures to stabilize the situation.

Observers noted that sections of the Kuki community had earlier cautioned their elected representatives against supporting any popular government. Thursday’s developments highlight the deepening political and social divisions in the region, unfolding against an already fragile security backdrop.