Manipur: Two-day strike over NRC demand paralyses normal life in valley districts
The strike called by the Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation (JFD), however, did not have any effect on hill districts
A two-day strike in Manipur's valley districts paralyzed daily life as markets and schools closed and public transport remained absent. The Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation (JFD) organized the protest, which began on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, midnight. The strike, however, did not impact hill districts such as Churachandpur.
In Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur, government offices saw sparse attendance, and some private vehicles were observed on the roads. Educational institutions were shut down, and public transport was absent. Strike enforcers blocked roads with bamboo poles and stone boulders, forcing some vegetable vendors to discard their goods at Kongba bazaar in Imphal East.
In Thoubal, protesters burned tires and chanted "No NRC, No Census." The self-enumeration phase of the 2027 Census was set to commence on August 17. Previously, on August 16, students demonstrated outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal, leading to the police firing tear gas to disperse them. In Imphal East and Imphal West, torch rallies were held the evening of August 16 to demand NRC implementation before any census activities in the state to identify illegal immigrants.
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