Curfew, internet suspension back in Manipur after fresh violence rocks Imphal

Tensions rise in Imphal Valley as indefinite curfew and internet suspension follow violent protests over six abductions and killings.

The situation remained calm but tense in Manipur's Imphal Valley, where an indefinite curfew has been imposed and internet services suspended following violent protests after the discovery of the bodies of six persons, three women and children each, allegedly abducted and killed by militants in Jiribam.

People take part in a protest orgainsed by Delhi Meetei Co-ordinating Committee over recent violence in Manipur, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The six persons were missing from a camp for the displaced in Jiribam since Monday following a gunfight between militants and security forces that led to the deaths of 10 insurgents.

The bodies of the two women and a child were recovered from the Barak River in Jiribam on Saturday, while three other bodies, including those of a woman and two children, were found on Friday night.

Piles of debris remained on the roads of the state capital Imphal on Sunday morning, a day after protestors staged violent protests over the deaths, attacking the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs.

Agitators ransacked the houses of three legislators, including that of Chief Minister N Biren Singh's son-in-law R K Imo, who is also a BJP MLA, and set their properties on fire while security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in different parts of Imphal, police said.

Among the ministers whose residences were stormed by the protesters are Sapam Ranjan, L Susindro Singh and Y Khemchand, an official said.

Curfew was imposed for an indefinite period in Imphal East and West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts of Imphal valley "due to developing law and order situation", he said.

The state administration suspended internet services temporarily in seven districts in the wake of protesters storming the residences of state ministers and MLAs, another official said.

Besides Imo, agitators also vandalised the properties of BJP legislator Sapam Kunjakesore and MLA Joykishan Singh.

They also gheraoed the houses of JD(U) MLA of Wangkhei seat, T Arun, and BJP legislator Karam Shyam of Langthabal.

Protesters, who had come to meet Keishamthong's Independent legislator Sapam Nishikanta Singh at his residence on Tiddim Road in Imphal West, targeted the office building of a local newspaper owned by him after they were informed that the legislator was not present in the state. The mob destroyed some temporary structures in front of the office building, another official said.

Agitators also set tyres on fire in the middle of a road in the Thangmeiband area, just 200 metres away from the assembly building.

At Keisampat Bridge, tear gas shells were fired to disperse protesters who were attempting to march towards several buildings, including Raj Bhavan, and the secretariat, police said.

Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi ordered the temporary suspension of internet and mobile data services in the "territorial jurisdiction of currently affected districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur for two days with effect from 5.15 pm on Saturday.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body representing civil society organisations of Imphal Valley, demanded military action on militants within 24 hours.

At night, miscreants set fire to at least two churches and three houses in Jiribam town, officials said.

"There have been reports of further arson and the burning of additional structures by miscreants, but these claims have not yet been independently verified," officials told PTI.

COCOMI spokesperson K Athouba called for the immediate repeal of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), which was recently re-imposed in areas under six police stations.

The bodies of the 10 Kuki-Zo youths killed in a gunfight with security personnel in Jiribam were on Saturday airlifted to Churachandpur from Assam's Silchar town, where the autopsies were conducted.