Imphal, March 1 -- A sit-in protest was organized on Saturday at the Thayong village community hall in Imphal East district, Manipur, against the alleged kidnapping and harassment of village authority members by cadres of the Komrem Region GPRN.

Protesters held placards with messages such as "We want co-existence," "Stop extortion of Thayong village," "Think of our future," and "We love peace." The demonstration was led by Thayong Nupi Apunba Lup, a joint coordinating committee of Meira Paibis (women vigilante groups) from the Kom village.

Mangte Angel Kom, one of the protesters, stated that three village authority members were kidnapped on February 19 by the group, which is now demanding an unaffordable ransom for their release.

She u...