IMPHAL, May 24: Thousands of protestors came out on the streets in Imphal West and Imphal East districts on Friday evening over the alleged removal of the state’s name from a government-run bus, sparking outrage among citizens, civil society groups, and political organizations.

The incident that triggered the public unrest reportedly took place earlier this week, when security personnel allegedly forced staffers of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) to conceal the word “Manipur” from the windshield of a state-run bus. The vehicle was transporting journalists to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on Tuesday, May 20. According to reports, the bus was stopped near the Gwaltabi checkpost, where security forces instructed the removal of the state’s name by covering it with white paper.

Images of the bus without the state’s name soon circulated online, provoking widespread condemnation and mobilizing protestors in large numbers.

In Imphal West, a group of demonstrators gathered at Chingmeirong and raised slogans before attempting to march toward the Raj Bhavan. However, they were intercepted and stopped by security forces, officials confirmed. Residents from across the capital city expressed their anger and frustration, calling the act a blatant affront to Manipur’s cultural and political identity.

Similar protest marches were held in Imphal East at Kongba and Lamlong, where demonstrators also formed human chains as a mark of protest. Protestors said the removal of the state’s name was not a mere administrative decision, but a grave insult to Manipur’s pride and integrity.

In response to the incident, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei organization, announced a 48-hour statewide bandh to denounce what it called a deliberate attack on the state’s identity.

Reacting to the public outcry, the Manipur state government has ordered a probe into the incident. A two-member inquiry committee has been constituted by the Home Department to “examine facts and circumstances involving security personnel and Manipur State Road Transport Bus carrying media persons to cover the Manipur Shirui festival on May 20 near Gwaltabi checkpost,” according to an official order.