Normal life in Churachandpur district has been severely disrupted following a total shutdown imposed by two tribal bodies in response to the involvement of a Kuki-Zo MLA in government formation. The shutdown, initiated by the Kuki Students Organisation, began at midnight on Friday and extended for 24 hours, while the Joint Forum of Seven enforced a shutdown in Kuki-Zo areas throughout Friday, from 6 am to 6 pm.
The impact of the shutdown was evident in the district headquarters, particularly in the Tuibong area, where bandh supporters prevented vehicles from operating, and markets remained closed. Attendance at educational and government offices was notably low during this period. The atmosphere in Churachandpur has been tense, prompting the deployment of additional security forces at critical locations within the town.
In a parallel effort, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) declared a public rally to take place on Friday afternoon, aiming to express their collective opposition to the participation of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the government formation, which they deem unacceptable given the current circumstances. The rally seeks to signal strong discontent within the Kuki women’s community regarding recent political developments.
The situation has escalated, with clashes reported on Thursday evening near the Tuibong forest gate, where protests led to confrontation with security forces. In response to violent actions from the mob, including stone-pelting, security forces resorted to crowd control measures, utilizing baton charges and firing tear gas to disperse the aggressors. These confrontations continued into the early hours of Friday, highlighting the ongoing unrest in the area.
