Arambai Tenggol Suspends 10-Day Manipur Bandh After 3 Days
Meitei group halts protest bandh over CBI arrest of Kanan Singh; former CM Biren Singh, MP Sanajaoba rush to Delhi amid deepening crisis in Manipur valley
In a significant development, Meitei organisation Arambai Tenggol on Tuesday announced the suspension of its 10-day bandh in Manipur, launched in protest against the arrest of its leader Kanan Singh. The suspension took effect from Tuesday morning. Arambai Tenggol Suspends 10-Day Manipur Bandh After 3 Days, Agitation for Leader’s Release to ContinueHowever, the group said it would continue its agitation, demanding the release of Singh, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The bandh, which lasted three days, had severely disrupted normal life across Manipur’s five valley districts—Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching. Commercial activity came to a halt, with the iconic Khwairamband Keithel (also known as Ima Market or Mothers’ Market) largely shut, barring a few early-morning vegetable vendors. Shops remained closed and public transport stayed off the roads.
The disruption was compounded by an internet shutdown and prohibitory orders imposed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as the government attempted to maintain law and order.
The bandh was not observed in the hill districts of the state. Meanwhile, the blockade of highways led to price hikes and shortages of essential commodities, especially in Churachandpur and Imphal, where residents are already reeling from the ethnic conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023.
Amid escalating tensions, former chief minister N Biren Singh and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba left for New Delhi on Monday to brief central leaders on the ground situation.
Singh, who stepped down in February after the Supreme Court ordered a forensic probe into leaked audio tapes allegedly featuring him claiming the violence was incited at his behest, declined to confirm whether Union Home Minister Amit Shah had summoned them.
He said the visit was aimed at apprising the central leadership of the worsening situation in the state, which has been under President’s Rule since his resignation. “I appeal to the public—this is a very crucial stage,” Singh said.
