Union Home Minister Amit Shah has canceled his scheduled election rallies in Maharashtra due to escalating protests and violence in Manipur. The decision comes as security conditions in the region continue to worsen following a series of violent incidents, including the killing of six civilians, with three women and children among the victims, in Jiribam district.
Protests erupted after the bodies of the six missing persons were discovered near the Manipur-Assam border on Friday night, sparking widespread unrest. Demonstrators have been targeting the homes of political leaders, setting fire to residences of BJP and Congress lawmakers, including that of a senior state minister.
Shah, who had been slated to campaign in Maharashtra, has returned to Delhi to monitor the situation. The protests, which intensified on Saturday, have led to the imposition of an indefinite curfew in parts of Imphal Valley. In the latest round of violence, mobs attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs, while also attempting to storm the ancestral residence of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Security forces were forced to intervene, using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The unrest has underscored the volatile security situation in Manipur, as protests continue to disrupt daily life and challenge authorities’ ability to maintain order in the region.
