Three injured Kuki patients undergoing treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) were shifted to Churachandpur Medical College at around 12:15 am on Wednesday under heightened security arrangements following sustained public protests.
The transfer was carried out after the Manipur Government reportedly assured protest representatives that the patients would be moved from RIMS around midnight.
The development came after two days of demonstrations at the hospital premises, where protesters demanded the removal of the injured patients and sought clarification from the authorities regarding their identities and alleged affiliations.
Tensions escalated at the RIMS campus during the protests, prompting security personnel to use tear gas to disperse demonstrators and restore order.
The agitation intensified after reports emerged on June 15 about the admission of the injured Kuki individuals to RIMS.
Following the public outcry, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh reportedly assured protesters that arrangements would be made to transfer the patients. However, the relocation did not take place on June 16 as expected, leading demonstrators to continue their protest into the evening.
Later, representatives of the protesters held discussions with the RIMS Director, who assured them that the patients would be shifted at midnight. The demonstrations continued late into the night until the transfer was finally carried out shortly after midnight.
