‘No NRC, No Census’: Manipur Vigil Turns Violent, Several Injured in Kakching

A torchlight protest demanding the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census exercise in Manipur turned violent in Kakching district, after some protesters allegedly hurled stones at police, prompting security personnel to fire tear gas shells.

Hundreds of villagers from Wabagai, Hiyanglam and nearby areas marched for around three kilometres on Sunday night, raising slogans of “No NRC, No Census” and opposing the population exercise until internally displaced people (IDPs) are resettled.

The marchers were heading towards the Kakching district headquarters when police stopped them near the Keirak Dam area, officials said. The protesters were asked to turn back, but the situation soon became tense.

According to officials, some people in the crowd began pelting the police with stones, forcing the security personnel to respond with several rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesters. A few agitators sustained minor injuries during the confrontation.

The protest comes amid continuing concerns over the state's demographic situation and the rehabilitation of people displaced by the prolonged ethnic conflict. The protesters have linked their demand for NRC updation to the Census exercise, insisting that displaced residents should be resettled before the process moves ahead.

Manipur has remained deeply affected by ethnic violence between Meiteis based largely in the Imphal Valley and Kukis living in the adjoining hills since May 2023. The conflict has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced thousands of people, leaving rehabilitation and resettlement among the state's most pressing challenges.

The latest confrontation highlights the continuing tensions surrounding the proposed Census exercise and demands for measures to address displacement and demographic concerns in the violence-hit state.