Manipur erupts in protests over killing of two children in Bishnupur blast, curfew eased

Thousands of people took part in a protest rally in Imphal on Sunday demanding justice for two children killed in a bomb attack in Bishnupur district earlier this week, as anger over the incident continued both on the streets and online.

The rally was organised by Uripok Apunba Lup and Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup , umbrella bodies representing several local organisations in the Uripok constituency. The march began at Lamboikhongnangkhong and covered about four kilometres, with participants carrying placards condemning the killing of children and demanding swift punishment for those responsible.

Several children also joined the protest, holding placards reading “We want justice” and “We condemn killing of children”.

Uripok Apunba Lup vice president Khwairakpam Tarunkumar said the demonstration aimed to press authorities to ensure a speedy investigation.

“Through our protest, we want the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the killing of the two children at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district to be completed at the earliest and the perpetrators be given befitting punishment according to the law,” he told reporters.

The rally follows the April 7 pre-dawn bomb attack on a house in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai near Moirang , in which a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister were killed while asleep , while their mother was injured. Officials said the projectile struck the house around 1 am .

The attack sparked widespread protests across valley districts including Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal, while online outrage has also intensified , with many people condemning the killing of children and demanding justice on social media.

Soon after the blast, around 500 angry residents stormed a CRPF camp at Gelmol near the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border, vandalising property and burning security vehicles. Security personnel opened fire to disperse the crowd, leaving three protesters dead and around 30 injured .

The Manipur government later imposed curfew in several valley districts and suspended mobile internet services , while the case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency . Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the attack as a “barbaric act” and assured strict action.

The violence comes against the backdrop of the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that erupted in May 2023 and has since claimed around 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people across the state.