Imphal, In a recent surge of unrest in Manipur, two individuals lost their lives, and more than twenty were injured due to Indian forces opening fire on demonstrators in the state’s Churachandpur district.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the violence erupted when protestors, enraged by the suspension of a police head constable from the local Kuki community, besieged a government compound. The demonstrators reportedly set fire to the residence of the district collector and vehicles of the Indian forces.

The deceased were identified as Letlalkhuol Gangte and Thanggunlen Haokip, both hailing from the Churachandpur area. They succumbed to injuries sustained from gunshot wounds amid the chaos.

In response to the escalating tensions, the Manipur state government has put a five-day suspension on cellular data services in the Churachandpur district to quell further protests.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) has vehemently criticized the suspension of the head constable and the subsequent actions taken by the police superintendent, Shivanand Surve. The ITLF has demanded Surve’s immediate removal, holding him accountable for the outbreak of violence and insisting on prompt corrective measures.