Manipur: Curfew reimposed in Imphal valley, no internet in 7 districts
Manipur chief secretary announced the suspension of internet services in Imphal West and Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangkokpi, and Churchandpur.
Authorities in Manipur reimposed a curfew in the Imphal valley and suspended internet in at least seven districts on Saturday amid simmering tensions over the abduction of six members of a Meitei family and the subsequent recovery of three unidentified bodies, even as the state government urged the Centre to withdraw the recent reimposition of Afspa in parts of Manipur.
The protesters stormed the residence of two state ministers — Sapam Ranjan Lamphel Sanakeithel (BJP) and L Susindro Singh (BJP) — and five MLAs — S Kunjakesor (BJP), RK Imo (BJP), K Raghumani (BJP), Sapam Nishikant (Independent) and Kh Joykisan [Janata Dal (United)] — set fire to shops, torched vehicles and blocked prominent roads amid the fresh wave of violence to besiege the state, people aware of the matter said. There were also reports that chief minister N Biren Singh’s personal residence was stormed late on Saturday night.
Amid the volatile ground situation, Imphal West district magistrate Th Kirankumar and Imphal East district magistrate Khumanthem Diana announced the clampdown of a curfew in the two areas of Imphal East and Imphal West, days after it was lifted in separate but identical orders.
“Now, due to the developing law and order situation in the district, the above-mentioned curfew relaxation order stands cancelled with immediate effect, i.e., from 4.30pm on November 16, 2024. Total curfew is imposed with effect from 4.30pm on November 16, 2024, until further orders,” the order said.
Manipur chief secretary Vineet Joshi announced the suspension of internet services in Imphal West and Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangkokpi, and Churchandpur, covering the strongholds of both Meitei and tribal communities.
The reimposition of restrictions comes in the backdrop of fresh attacks on civilians and renewed gunfights between forces and militants in the strife-torn northeastern state. On Monday, security forces gunned down 10 suspected militants in Jiribam district after a group of armed men attacked a CRPF post. A day after the gunfight, bodies of two civilians were recovered from a Jiribam village. Six members of a Meitei family from the same village — three women and three children—were reported missing, with officials saying that they were likely abducted by militants. They were identified as Yurembam Rani Devi (60), Telem Thoibi Debi (31), Laisram Heitombi Devi (25), Telem Thajmanbi Devi (8), Laisram Chingkheiganba Singh (2) and Laisram Langamba Singh (8 months).
On Friday, decomposed bodies of two children, including an infant, and a woman were found near the Manipur-Assam border, fanning speculation that they were of those abducted and triggering violent protests.
A legislator on condition of anonymity said that 19 MLAs are prepared to resign following the killings and increasing attacks on Meitei MLAs. The legislator added, “There is no meaning in continuing to be a legislator in this situation.”
The Centre has already rushed 20 additional paramilitary companies, or nearly 2,500 personnel, to Manipur, where 240 people have died in clashes that started roughly 18 months ago between the majority Meitei and the tribal Kukis, with other communities increasingly sucked into the violence. On Thursday, the Union government reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or Afspa, in areas under the jurisdiction of six police stations across five Manipur districts, more than a year after it was removed from these places.
On Saturday, the BJP government in the state wrote to Union home secretary Govind Mohan, seeking a withdrawal of the order.
A letter from the Joint Secretary (Home) to the Centre, mentioned that “the state cabinet has deliberated upon the same (reimposition of AFSPA) in its meeting held on November 15 and has decided to recommend to the Central government to review and withdraw the said declaration of areas falling under the jurisdiction of six police stations in the state as disturbed areas under Section 3 of AFSPA 1958”.
“It is accordingly requested to kindly review and withdraw the notification dated 14-11-2024 in public interest,” it said.
Far from any administrative salve to a now fractured society, the fallout of the long-running ethnic hostilities has meant that the Meiteis, who live largely in the plains of the Imphal valley, and the Kukis, who predominantly live in the hills, have withdrawn to their respective strongholds. In response, security forces have created buffer zones in different border districts, set up camps and posts on highways. But often, militants from both groups use the hills and the jungle area to cross into other districts and attack each other.
The bodies of the 10 tribal men who were killed in the Jiribam gunfight earlier in the week were on Saturday airlifted to Churachandpur from Assam’s Silchar town, where the autopsies were conducted.
Hundreds of people hit the streets in the tribal-dominated Churachandpur on Friday, demanding justice for those killed, saying that the deceased were village volunteers and not militants.