Curfew and internet suspension in Manipur after fresh violence rocks Imphal | Latest News India

The situation remained calm but tense in Manipur’s Imphal Valley, where an indefinite curfew was imposed and internet services suspended following violent protests following the discovery of bodies of six people, including three women and children each, allegedly abducted and murdered by militants in Jiribam.

Six people were missing from the displaced persons camp in Jiribam since Monday following a gunfight between militants and security forces that left 10 rebels dead.

While the bodies of two women and a child were found in the Barak River in Ciribam on Saturday, three more bodies, including a woman and two children, were found on Friday night.

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

The agitators ransacked the houses of three legislators, including the house of Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s son-in-law RK Imo, who is also a BJP MLA, and set fire to their properties, while security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters in different areas. Police said Imphal.

Sapam Ranjan, L Susindro Singh and Y Khemchand were among the ministers whose houses were raided by the protesters, an official said.

He said an indefinite curfew has been imposed in Imphal East and West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts of Imphal valley “due to the evolving law and order situation”.

Another official said the state government temporarily suspended internet services in seven districts after protesters broke into the residences of state ministers and members of parliament.

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

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

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 in the state. Another official said the crowd destroyed some temporary structures in front of the office building.

The agitators also set fire to tires in the middle of a road in the Thangmeiband area, just 200 meters from the assembly building.

Police said tear gas canisters were fired to disperse protesters who tried to march towards several buildings on the Keisampat Bridge, including the Raj Bhavan and the secretariat.

Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said internet and mobile data services will be temporarily suspended for two days in the “territorial jurisdiction of currently affected districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur” with effect from 5.15 pm on Saturday. ordered his suspension.

The Coordination Committee of Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a high-level body representing civil society organizations in the Imphal Valley, has demanded military action against the militants within 24 hours.

Authorities said miscreants set fire to at least two churches and three houses in Jiribam town during the night.

“There are reports of further arson and burning of additional structures by miscreants, but these allegations are yet to be independently verified,” officials told PTI.

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

The bodies of 10 Kuki-Zo youths, who were killed in a gunfight with security personnel in Jiribam, were flown to Churachandpur from Assam’s Silchar town, where autopsies were performed, on Saturday.