Authorities in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Friday relaxed curfew in Imphal West and Imphal East districts for seven hours citing an improvement in the situation.
Curfew was imposed in the two districts on May 3 after the eruption of the violence in the Churachandpur district and the Imphal Valley. A relaxation in curfew was announced from 5am to 4pm before it was cancelled when fresh violence was triggered on Wednesday. Round-the-clock curfew was reimposed in Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur districts on Thursday.
“There has been an improvement in the law-and-order situation in the district and hence the restriction on the movement of any persons outside their respective residences is hereby lifted from 5am to 12noon on Friday,” Imphal West district authorities said in an order.
It added people will not be allowed to gather for any purpose other than procurement of essential items and office work. Health, electricity, and public health engineering department employees have been exempted from curfew restrictions along with journalists.
Imphal East district authorities in a separate order said curfew has been relaxed from 5am to 12noon except for four specific areas.
Ethnic clashes triggered on May 3 have left 74 people dead and 30,000 displaced. They began in Churachandpur after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposal to grant scheduled tribe status to the majority Meitei community. The army has been deployed in the state since May 4.
Thousands of security personnel have been patrolling the streets of major cities and remote villages. The Internet has been suspended for three weeks now.
{{/usCountry}}Thousands of security personnel have been patrolling the streets of major cities and remote villages. The Internet has been suspended for three weeks now.
{{/usCountry}}Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday called for peace and said he will visit the northeastern state next week to talk with all stakeholders.
In Mizoram, the government has issued an order asking schools to give admission to children who have fled the ethnic violence in Manipur. Officials said 7,928 people from Manipur have sought refuge in Mizoram.