IMPHAL, Nov 27: The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) has issued an urgent advisory to security forces and administrative authorities following recent incidents in which children were injured during protest-related action, including lathi-charges, assault on vital body parts, and girls fainting due to tear gas exposure during the Pukhao incident.
Terming the incidents grave violations of child-protection laws and international child-rights standards, MCPCR Chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar reminded all agencies that the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) strictly prohibit the use of violence, harsh restraint, or coercive force against minors. He stressed that children have the right to peaceful expression and must be protected during public gatherings.
The Commission highlighted that children remain the worst affected by the ongoing conflict in Manipur, now persisting for over two and a half years. Findings from recent MHPCC camps across seven hill and valley districts revealed that about 30% of attending children suffer from severe mental-health issues requiring immediate follow-up. Rising cases of child suicides, emotional distress, educational disruption, and dropouts among displaced children were also flagged as alarming.
Calling for maximum restraint, MCPCR urged security personnel to avoid using lathis, tear gas, or physical force in the presence of minors and to adopt child-sensitive, non-violent crowd-management methods. The advisory further appealed for an immediate and peaceful resolution to the displacement crisis so that children can return to safe environments that support education, healing, and overall well-being, stressing that no more trauma or harassment should be inflicted on any child.
