March 11, 2026 (IMP): At least five (5) persons have reportedly been injured in tear-gas shelling by security forces in front of Manipur’s iconic ‘Ima Keithel’ (Women’s Market) in the state capital, Imphal, during a protest stand-off demanding NRC implementation before the Census exercise in Manipur on Wednesday.
A sea of protestors, demanding an NRC or similar mechanism spearheaded by the campaign For Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), gathered and tried to march towards the ongoing Assembly but were intercepted by security forces. In the subsequent stand-off, the security forces resorted to firing tear-gas shells, which reportedly injured five people.
The injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital, and the issue is still brewing in the state capital. The JFD has been campaigning for the implementation of the NRC or a similar mechanism in the state of Manipur to sort out illegitimate citizens or illegal immigrants before any Census exercise in Manipur.
However, the Central Government has decided to move forward with its plans for the Census, and the demands were strongly voiced today.
