Fri Feb 21 10:42:11 UTC 2025: ## Manipur Protests Erupt After Arrest of Village Volunteers
**Imphal, Manipur –** Protests erupted across Manipur’s Imphal Valley on Friday following the arrest of over 10 village volunteers in Kakching district. Angry residents responded by burning tyres and blocking roads in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, and Kakching districts. The demonstrations also led to the closure of numerous shops and markets in areas including Wangkhei, Uripok, Thangmeiband, and Khurai.
The arrests, carried out by security personnel during an early morning operation in Panjao Pallumda, Kakching, came just one day after Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla issued an ultimatum demanding the voluntary surrender of looted and illegally held weapons within seven days. The arrested volunteers were subsequently taken to a security forces camp in Thoubal district.
The protests highlight the ongoing tensions in the violence-stricken state, where the governor’s recent appeal for weapon surrender appears to have been met with resistance in some areas. The situation remains volatile.
First Piper 