Chaos erupted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam on Saturday as protests intensified over the handling of the bodies of 10 Manipur residents killed in an encounter with the CRPF on November 11.
Authorities brought the bodies to SMCH for postmortem on November 12, but locals from Jiribam, along with others from Assam, gathered at the hospital and protested, demanding the bodies be handed over locally.
Around 400 protesters had camped outside SMCH since November 12, opposing the government’s decision to airlift the bodies to Manipur’s Churachandpur. They insisted on receiving the bodies at the hospital. However, authorities insisted on sending the bodies to Churachandpur for the final rites. The standoff turned violent around 10 a.m. when police attempted to remove the bodies from the morgue. Protesters blocked the entrance and clashed with law enforcement, leading to a lathicharge. The situation escalated as protesters threw stones, injuring some police officers.
The police attempted to defuse the situation with dialogue. Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Prasanta Kumar Bhuiyan and Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta engaged with the protesters, urging them to cooperate. Mahatta stated, “This is Assam, not Manipur, and we will not tolerate such violence. Higher authorities have directed us to send the bodies to Churachandpur.”If you wish to attend the funeral, you must go there.”
Protests had initially begun on Wednesday evening following delays in the postmortem process.
Authorities cited a DNA test for the bodies, while ITLF demanded road transport to Lamka. Stone-pelters injured four journalists.
Authorities expect more bodies to arrive in the coming days.
 in Assam on Saturday as protests intensified over the handling of the bodies of 10 Manipur residents killed in an encounter){kind=link}