Thousands of people in Manipur participated in a rally organised here by an umbrella body of several Imphal-based civil society organisations on Friday, demanding territorial and administrative integrity of the state.

The rally under the aegis of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) began at Thau ground in Imphal West district and was scheduled to cover a distance of four km before culminating at Khuman Lampak stadium.

School and college students, women, youths and village volunteers took part in the procession and shouted slogans against illegal immigrants from neighbouring Myanmar.

Slogans such as 'save indigenous and rightful citizens of India', 'no separate administration' and 'save territorial integrity of Manipur' reverberated through the air.

The ethnic conflict between Imphal valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kukis has led to the deaths of over 200 people in the northeastern state and rendered thousands of people homeless.

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