Protesters clash with security forces during 'mass court arrest' stir in Manipur
«Fill the jails protest» started from Thursday.Thousands of agitators, mostly women, tried to storm various police stations in five valley districts — Bishnupur, Kakching, Thoubal, Imphal West, and Imphal East—but the huge contingent of Rapid Action Force and other security forces had to prevent them by firing huge tear gas shells.
The protesters broke many security barricades in many places. Security forces had to fire tear gas shells to quell the mob.
The district authorities have cancelled the routine curfew relaxation period in different valley districts.
The 48-hour shutdown is called by the various civil society organisations across the state demanding unconditional release of five ‘village protection volunteers’ affecting normal life on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Police officials earlier said that five persons were arrested on Saturday with sophisticated weapons in camouflage uniforms.
A large number of men and women came out to protest the arrest and tried to storm Porompat police station in Imphal East district demanding release of the arrested persons, but the security forces repelled the police station attack by firing tear gas shells.
Several people including a Rapid Action Force personnel received minor injuries during the tussles.
The civil society organisations earlier set a deadline to release the five detainees, but police rejected the demand.
The Manipur police have charged the five people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act & Official Secrets Act.
Police officials added that an INSAS rifle and a self-loading rifle — and 128 rounds of ammunition recovered from them.
“ One of the five arrested is a former cadre of banned insurgent outfit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur. The other
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