Intense confrontations broke out in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Sunday, leaving at least 22 women and a prominent student leader injured after Assam Rifles (AR) personnel used batons and tear gas to disperse civilians. The clashes were sparked by public opposition to the establishment of a temporary military outpost at New Heaven, an area under the jurisdiction of Shokvao village.
The injured, including several elderly women and Katho Katamnao Long (KKL) student union president Mathotmi Kasar, were rushed to Ukhrul District Hospital. Hospital sources confirmed that over 22 women are currently receiving treatment, with some reportedly in critical condition.
Escalation at Finch Corner
Tensions began to mount at around 10:30 am when reinforcement teams from the Assam Rifles’ Shangshak post attempted to cross Finch Corner to reach the contested site at New Heaven. Local residents, who have expressed deep distrust of the troops and oppose the new stationing, blocked the route by erecting barricades and burning tires.
According to eyewitness reports, the situation turned violent when AR personnel moved to clear the path. In the ensuing melee at Finch Corner, KKL President Mathotmi Kasar was allegedly physically assaulted by troops. The confrontation quickly spread to Shokvao and New Heaven as AR personnel attempted to hold their positions against mounting local resistance.
Eyewitnesses further alleged that the paramilitary force did not stop at using lathicharges and tear gas; they claimed AR personnel discharged live rounds from automatic rifles to scatter the crowd, leading to multiple injuries among the women protesters.
Legal and Jurisdictional Disputes
The standoff stems from a move by the Assam Rifles to station troops at New Heaven without prior consultation with Shokvao Village Authority which had repeatedly urged the Assam Rifles authority to abort the post establishment plan and withdraw their troops.
On June 4, a joint statement from the Katho Long, Katho Katamnao Long, and the Katho Women Coordination Committee demanded an immediate cessation of the deployment.
The groups argue that the establishment of the outpost violates the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956. They contend that the AR’s actions undermine local law and encroach upon village jurisdiction. Despite repeated requests from the Shokvao Village Authority for the troops to withdraw, sources say the requests were ignored, leading to Sunday’s democratic protest.
Despicable act
The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has issued a stinging condemnation of the incident, describing the AR’s actions as “uncalled for” and “unbecoming of a professional paramilitary force.”
In a statement released via its media cell, the TNL specifically named the Commander of the 40 Shangshak Battalion, Col. Sunil Singh Lunthi, alleging that he personally led the lathi charge against women at Finch Corner. The committee described the officer’s conduct as “despicable.”
The committee noted that in a series of fateful incidents at New Haven, Finch Corner and Shokvao village on Sunday, the troops of Assam Rifles unleashed a violent confrontation against women folks from different Tangkhul villages who were staging a democratic protest against the unauthorised military outpost being setup at New Haven, which is under the jurisdiction of Shokvao village.
It said that the women were demanding the AR jawans to vacate the site as no prior consent was taken from the concerned village authority.
“Many people including elderly women and student activists were hurt in a series of violence committed by the Assam Rifles at New Haven, Finch Corner and Shokvao village,” the statement noted, adding that the ARs fired multiple rounds from automatic rifles, lobbed teargas canisters and lathi-charged against the innocent and peaceful women protesters at different sites of the incidents.
“The manner in which the AR personnel dealt with civilians, and women in particular, speaks volumes of the hypocrisy of their ubiquitous slogan ‘Friends of the Hill People. Probably, the ARs are friends of the Kuki people,'” the statement read.
The TNL further questioned the state of governance in the region, asking, “Is Manipur and India in general under military rule? Where are the people’s representatives?”
Tense Standoff Continues
As of Sunday night, the situation remains highly volatile along the Finch Corner–Shokvao–New Heaven–TM Kasom stretch of NH-202. While Assam Rifles troops continue to occupy the temporary post at New Heaven, local women have prepared to keep an overnight vigil to block any further entry of military reinforcements.
Government and state officials have yet to issue a formal response regarding the allegations of live firing or the reported assault on student leadership.