After Clashes, Manipur Ensures Smooth Start to Sangai Festival 2025

The law-and-order situation in Manipur has stabilised a day after clashes erupted between police, displaced villagers, and members of COCOMI, who sought to disrupt the Sangai Festival on its opening day.

In a statement issued on Friday, Manipur Police said the situation across the state remained “normal” over the past 24 hours and assured that extensive security arrangements were in place to ensure the 10-day festival proceeds without interruption.

The 2025 edition of the Sangai Festival began on Friday evening at the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre in Imphal, with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla formally inaugurating the event. Top government officials, including the Chief Secretary, the DGP, and several legislators, were present at the ceremony, which featured cultural showcases highlighting Manipur’s diverse heritage.

Police have urged the public to extend cooperation as the state hosts its largest tourism festival, which features traditional dance, indigenous sports, handicrafts, and local cuisine.

The unrest broke out earlier when Internally Displaced Persons demanded rehabilitation and relief arrangements, while COCOMI activists attempted to enforce a boycott of the festival. Both groups have been vocal over the continuing humanitarian crisis that unfolded after ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in 2023. The conflict claimed around 260 lives and forced thousands from their homes.

To maintain security, police and central forces are continuing search operations in vulnerable and fringe areas across several districts. Intelligence-driven combing operations, cordon-and-search drills, and checks against extortion networks are being intensified, officials said.

Despite Thursday’s confrontation, authorities insist they are committed to ensuring the Sangai Festival runs smoothly while security forces work to prevent any further flare-up.

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