An uneasy calm prevailed in restive Manipur on Wednesday (September 10, 2024), a day after protestors clashed with security personnel on the streets of the State’s capital Imphal leaving more than 50 students injured.
There were no reports of fresh violence either in the Imphal Valley comprising five districts— almost the central part of the State dominated by the non-tribal Meiteis— or in the peripheral hills where the tribal Kuki-Zos are a majority.
An indefinite curfew was imposed in three of these districts in the valley– Imphal East, Imphal West, and Thoubal, while mobile data and internet services were suspended temporarily in all five districts on Tuesday (September 10, 2024). There are no restrictions in the hill districts.
The State government said these steps were taken “to thwart the design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements, maintain peace and communal harmony and prevent any loss of life or danger to public/private property.”
Security personnel patrolled the streets of Imphal and the valley beyond as most people remained indoors and small groups of students held peaceful sit-in demonstrations at some places demanding resolution of the ongoing ethnic conflict.
Amid the prevailing tension, Manipur University postponed all scheduled postgraduate and undergraduate examinations until further notice.
Watch:Mobile internet, broadband, VPNs banned for five days in Manipur
On the day, Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya left Imphal for Guwahati. He is the Governor of Assam with the additional charge of Manipur.
Police defend action
The Manipur police defended the firing of tear gas shells and stun grenades to disperse protestors on Tuesday. According to local media reports, they claimed that some of the protestors, mostly students, used petrol bombs, firearms, and slingshots with iron balls.
“The protest rallies taken out by the students were peaceful until certain elements instigated them to resort to violence. At least 10 of our personnel were injured during the violence,” a senior police officer told journalists in Imphal on Wednesday.
Students across the Imphal Valley have demanded the removal of the State’s security advisor Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh for failing to protect the lives and properties of citizens. Many of them, including juveniles, have camped at the all-women’s market in Imphal’s Khwairamband area since Monday.
Alleging that these students were being exploited by people with vested interests, police expressed concern over their safety.
Manipur has been on the boil since May 3, 2023, with clashes between the Kuki-Zos and Meiteis leaving more than 230 people dead and some 60,000 displaced.
Scribe’s house attacked
Meanwhile, unknown gunmen attacked the residence of veteran journalist Yambem Laba in Uripok Yambem Leikai of Imphal around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. They fired about 10 rounds, some of which hit the wall of his bedroom.
This was the second attack this year targeting Mr. Laba, who floated the Good Governance Party a few months ago. On May 27, unidentified gunmen attacked his retreat at Mongjam village on the outskirts of Imphal and ransacked the office there.
Published - September 11, 2024 08:31 pm IST
