Imphal, Nov 20: Massive coordinated protests by COCOMI volunteers and internally displaced persons (IDPs) swept across Imphal and other valley districts on Thursday, as anger mounted over the government’s decision to go ahead with the Sangai Festival amid the ongoing ethnic crisis.

The most violent confrontation unfolded at the Hatta Kangjeibung Gate, the main venue of the Sangai Festival, where COCOMI volunteers attempted to force their way towards the entrance.

Protesters shouted intense slogans and even hurled water bottles at security personnel, triggering a chaotic scuffle before security forces managed to push them back.

The security had to resort to tear gas shelling to disperse the crowd at Hatta Kanjeibung, the main entrance gate to the festival, in Imphal East.

Parallel demo

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