Six injured as Police disperse JFD protesters; DESAM locks down training institute over Census preparations

Tension flared in the heart of Imphal today as protests linked to the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) movement intensified, leaving six persons injured after police dispersed demonstrators near the historic Ima Keithel while student activists simultaneously locked down a government training institute over alleged preparations for the upcoming Census.
Officials said at least six persons, including five women vendors and one man, sustained injuries when police moved to disperse protesters who had gathered near Ima Keithel, also known as Ema Market, to oppose the ongoing preparations for the Census and delimitation process in the state.
The protest was organised by members and supporters of the JFD movement demanding that the National Register of Citizens be implemented before the Census is carried out.
Naorem Wangamba, Assistant Secretary (Organisation) of JFD, said the agitation was aimed at resisting what the organisation described as premature steps towards the Census and delimitation exercise.
He stated that the movement was demanding deferment of the Census until the identification of illegal immigrants is completed with reference to the 1951 Census.
“If the Census is conducted without first identifying illegal immigrants, it will pose serious challenges to the demographic and social balance of the state. The NRC must be updated first and the Census should be conducted only after that,” he said.
He further alleged that preparations for the Census were being carried out at two locations in Imphal — the State Training Academy and the Ima Keithel area.
The protest drew participation from a large number of women vendors from Ima Market along with other supporters of the movement. As the demonstration gathered momentum in the busy Khwairamband Bazaar area, security personnel were deployed in strength to prevent escalation.
Police attempted to disperse the crowd after protesters allegedly tried to block roads and disrupt normal movement in the market area. In the ensuing police action, six persons were injured and later provided medical attention.
The confrontation caused disruption of normal activities in the commercial hub, with several shops temporarily shutting down around noon amid rising tension.
Sources said the protesters had planned to march towards the Manipur Legislative Assembly complex and stage a gherao, taking advantage of the ongoing Assembly session. However, the police intervened and dispersed the gathering before the crowd could proceed further.
In a parallel development, members of the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) locked down the State Institute of Training at Takyel, alleging that training programmes related to the upcoming Census were being conducted at the institute.
The protest was organised as part of the broader JFD movement demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens prior to the Census and any subsequent delimitation exercise in the state.
Speaking to reporters, DESAM convenor M. Somorjit Meitei accused the government of attempting to push forward the Census process without addressing the concerns of the people of Manipur.
He said the organisation strongly opposed the reported training of government employees for the Census exercise and warned that such initiatives would not be accepted.
Somorjit Meitei further cautioned that conducting delimitation without first detecting illegal immigrants could have far-reaching consequences for the state.
He stated that if delimitation is carried out without the NRC process, several Assembly constituencies could be adversely affected, which would have serious implications for the political future of the people of Manipur.
Referring to the ongoing Assembly session, the DESAM leader urged the state government to adopt a resolution in the House stating that no delimitation exercise should be conducted without the implementation of the NRC.
The protest at the training institute remained peaceful, with DESAM members reiterating their demand that all Census-related activities be halted until the NRC issue is addressed.
The protests come amid preparations for the Census of India 2027, after the Union Cabinet chaired by Narendra Modi approved the proposal on December 12, 2025.
The upcoming exercise will be the 16th Census of India, which was originally scheduled for 2021 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.