Villagers in Manipur have called on authorities to refrain from withdrawing central forces from the Uyok Hills region, where recent clashes between militants and security forces occurred. Residents of Thamnapokpi, Sanasabi, and Yaingangpokpi, located near Saibol village, have been protesting since Monday evening.

The villagers fear that BSF and CRPF personnel stationed in Saibol, near the Imphal East district border, could be moved due to external pressures. The protests followed an attack on the Kangpokpi district Superintendent of Police’s office on January 3, where the officer was injured by a mob. The attack was reportedly in response to the officer’s refusal to withdraw the forces, amid ongoing protests regarding a December 31 lathi charge on women by security forces in Saibol.

Mangi Leima, one of the protestors, warned that withdrawing the central forces would invite further attacks on local villages by armed groups. Recent violence in the region, including a gunfight between militants and security forces, has escalated tensions. In response, central forces were deployed to Saibol to dismantle illegal bunkers.

The ongoing ethnic conflict between Kuki and Meitei communities, which began in May 2023, has led to over 250 deaths and left thousands displaced.