Women’s Group Calls Indefinite Bandh Until Community Agreement; IDPs Demand Immediate Solutions as Gunfire Sparks Fear in Torbung
A group of women activists has called for an indefinite bandh, demanding a formal agreement between the two communities as a prerequisite for restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur. The group said protests and shutdowns would continue until a clear and mutually accepted understanding is reached to end the prolonged conflict.
At the same time, internally displaced persons (IDPs) reiterated their demand for practical and immediate solutions, urging authorities to move beyond what they described as symbolic or cosmetic measures. They stressed that displaced families continue to face insecurity, uncertainty, and hardship, and require concrete steps for safety, rehabilitation, and dignified return.
Tensions were further heightened on Tuesday night when panic spread across parts of Bishnupur district after unidentified armed individuals fired multiple rounds of gunshots in the district’s peripheral areas. Officials confirmed that the firing occurred near Phougakchao Ikhai, close to the Bishnupur–Churachandpur border.
Security agencies said efforts are underway to trace the source of the firing and determine the direction in which the shots were fired. The incident, reported near the foothill region, created fear among residents of nearby villages, with many people remaining indoors as a precaution.
In response, additional security forces were deployed to the area to stabilize the situation and prevent any further escalation.
The latest incident comes only days after Meitei and Kuki BJP MLAs held meetings with the party’s central leadership in New Delhi, where emphasis was placed on unity, political stability, and the restoration of free and safe movement between hill and valley regions amid ongoing ethnic tensions.
Authorities said investigations are continuing and further details will be shared as they become available.
