Tear Gas Fired as IDPs Attempt to March from Bishnupur to Churachandpur in Manipur

PTI,  November 21, 2025, Imphal/Churachandpur :  Hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) staying in relief camps in Manipur's Bishnupur district attempted to march towards the neighbouring Churachandpur district on Friday evening, prompting security forces to deploy tear gas to disperse the crowd, officials confirmed.

The IDPs, who had fled Churachandpur during ethnic violence in 2023, stated that the situation in the state had returned to normal, citing the ongoing Sangai tourism festival being held after a two-year gap. They demanded that they be allowed to return to their homes in Churachandpur district, an official quoted one of the IDPs as saying.

However, their march was halted by security forces near Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district, just a few kilometres from the Churachandpur border. The security forces erected barricades, laid barbed wire, and parked vehicles in the middle of roads to prevent further movement of the IDPs.

Despite these measures, some of the protesters managed to breach the barricades and began throwing stones, prompting security personnel to fire tear gas to control the situation, according to officials.

Abung Meitei, an IDP from Churachandpur, told reporters, “Despite our protests that the Sangai festival should not take place before the resettlement of IDPs, the government ignored our demands and proceeded with the festival. We had said home first, festival later. Since the festival symbolises a return to normalcy, we are asking to be allowed to return home.”

Meanwhile, security measures have been intensified in Churachandpur, especially near the district boundary with Bishnupur, to prevent any further unrest, an official based in Churachandpur said.