Ukhrul, June 7 | EKHON: At least 22 Tangkhul Naga women were injured following a confrontation between Assam Rifles personnel and protesters at Finch Corner, Shokvao and New Haven in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Sunday.
According to local sources, the women were participating in a protest against a disputed security outpost at New Haven, which villagers allege was established without the knowledge, consent, or prior consultation of village authorities. Eyewitnesses claimed that security personnel fired multiple rounds, launched tear-gas canisters, and carried out baton charges against protesters, resulting in multiple injuries.
Protesters alleged that Assam Rifles personnel used physical force, including sticks and iron rods, during efforts to disperse the demonstrators. Video footage circulating on social media appears to show tense confrontations between security personnel and protesters, the majority of whom were women.
The injured women were admitted to the District Hospital, Ukhrul, where they were receiving treatment at the time of reporting.
Among the injured is 29-year-old S. Chingmila of Shokvao Village. Like many women in the village, she had joined volunteers guarding the village gate and was part of a group seeking to prevent the movement of security personnel following tensions that had escalated in the area a day earlier.
Chingmila alleged that Assam Rifles personnel broke through barricades erected by villagers, leading to fresh clashes. Recounting her experience from her hospital bed, she claimed that she sustained injuries to her left arm, shoulder, and hip after being struck with an iron rod.
According to her account, she fled to a nearby house in an attempt to seek shelter but was pursued by security personnel. She alleged that she was repeatedly beaten on the shoulder and that attempts were made to strike her on the head. In an effort to protect herself, she raised her arms to shield her head, suffering further injuries in the process.
Chingmila also alleged that another woman, described as elderly, was assaulted during the confrontation and continued to be beaten by multiple personnel even after she had fallen to the ground.
The incident comes days after the Katho Katamnao Long (KKL), the apex student body in the area, issued a statement on June 4 calling on the Assam Rifles to dismantle the disputed outpost. The organisation maintained that the installation had been set up without consultation with village authorities and local institutions.
Adding to the controversy, the President of Katho Katamnao Long was assaulted by security personnel prior to the firing incident. They claim he was targeted for advocating on behalf of villagers and opposing the construction of the outpost.
The reported use of force against women protesters has sparked concern among civil society organisations, student groups, and local leaders. Questions have also been raised regarding adherence to established crowd-control procedures, including whether trained female security personnel were deployed to engage with women demonstrators.
Local leaders described the incident as a serious infringement on democratic rights, arguing that villagers were exercising their constitutional freedoms of expression, assembly, and peaceful protest. They warned that the use of force against unarmed civilians risks deepening tensions in an already sensitive region.
Meanwhile, the Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) strongly condemned the “excesses” of the Assam Rifles against Tangkhul Naga civilians. The organization also accused the commanding officer of the 40th Assam Rifles Battalion, Colonel Sunil Singh Lunthi, of personally leading a baton charge against women protesters at Finch Corner.
Describing the incident as “unprovoked” and “deeply disturbing,” TNL questioned the conduct of the paramilitary force and expressed concern over the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians, particularly women participating in a democratic protest.
The incident is expected to intensify debate over security operations, local governance, and the protection of civil liberties in Manipur’s hill districts, where relations between local communities and security forces have long remained a sensitive issue.
