Tensions continue to simmer in Imphal over the admission of three Kuki-Zo men, who were injured in a gunfight, to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), with an angry crowd gathering outside the building again on Tuesday night. Security forces used teargas to disperse the crowd.
Similar scenes were witnessed on Monday, after which security was deployed on the premises.
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Those agitating against the admission include members of the Meitei and Naga communities, who continue to gather despite the institute being blocked by barricades.
Earlier in the day, the RIMS media cell issued a statement that all its services and departments were functioning normally. However, it condemned the use of teargas within the premises.
“RIMS strongly condemns the firing of mock bombs and smoke bombs within the hospital premises following the large-scale public protest that occurred yesterday. The institute expresses grave concern over the potential risks posed by such actions to patients, attendants, healthcare personnel, and the general public. Any activity that may compromise safety within the premises is a matter of serious concern and must be strictly avoided,” it stated.
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The situation in Imphal and at the hospital has been tense since Monday morning after three Kuki-Zo men who sustained bullet injuries in an exchange of fire in Kangpokpi district between suspected Naga and Kuki-Zo groups were admitted there.
The state capital, where the institute is situated, is in the plains, where the Meiteis are in the majority. Kuki-Zos, on the other hand, dominate the hills. The Manipur conflict between the two communities, which began in May 2023, has of late spiralled into hostilities between the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities.
Security personnel fire tear gas shells to disperse protesters near the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), in Imphal, Monday. (PTI) 
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