Imphal, Oct. 24 -- The All-Manipur United Clubs' Organisation and four allied civil society groups launched a major mass agitation across the state on Saturday, staging a large sit-in protest at the CYC premises in Imphal East to oppose any administrative division of Manipur.

The joint front, which includes the Manipuri Students' Federation, the All-Manipur Women's Voluntary Association, Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur, and the Committee on Human Rights, warned that they would escalate public demonstrations to counter alleged attempts by central and state authorities to destabilize the region.

Speaking at the protest site, AMUCO President S. Sanjoy declared that the public would block any attempt to fragment the state through...