With their service term officially expired on March 31, 2025, and yet to be renewed, Village Defence Force (VDF) personnel across Manipur have launched an indefinite ‘Gun Down, Pen Down’ strike starting 6 a.m. today.
The All Manipur VDF Employees Welfare Association announced the strike on Tuesday, accusing the government of ignoring their long-pending demands. Key among them: renewal of service contracts, implementation of Section 18 of the Police Act, 1861, as per VDF recruitment rules, and a long-awaited increase in pay.
The move is expected to severely affect day-to-day policing and law-and-order support, especially in sensitive areas where over 10,000 VDF personnel assist the state police in counter-insurgency and civilian protection duties.
While all field activities have come to a halt, the Association clarified that they remain open to dialogue, provided the government responds positively.
With security already stretched thin in conflict-affected zones, the VDF strike poses a serious concern for ground-level enforcement and protection in vulnerable villages.
