Imphal: Manipur – that witnessed over two years of ethnic strife – is on the boil yet again over the holding of the Sangai Festival. This is the state’s biggest tourism festival that draws people, not only from the region, but across the country.

The festival started on Friday after a two-year hiatus. However, this was met with resistance from a section of people displaced by the conflict and civil society organisations based in the Manipur valley, who have sought the resettlement of displaced persons, free movement and restoration of “peace and normalcy first”. ADVERTISEMENT

On Thursday, a protest rally led by civil society organisation Coordinated Committee on Manipur’s Integrity or COCOMI was stopped by security personnel, resulting in a scuffle during which police had to resort to b

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