Students in Imphal defy curfew, clash with police

Manipur bans Internet in five districts of Imphal Valley and imposes curfew in two of them; 50 students injured when police used force to stop them from storming Raj Bhavan, CM’s residence

Security personnel fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters marching to Raj Bhavan against the recent violence in the state at Kakwa in Imphal on September 10, 2024 | Photo Credit: ANI

The Manipur government on Tuesday (September 10, 2024) banned Internet services in five districts of the Imphal Valley and imposed a curfew in two of them as students, protesting the rising violence in the State for the second successive day, clashed with the security forces on the streets of Imphal.

More than 50 students were injured when police used force to prevent them from storming the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister’s residence within 200 metres of each other. The serious among them were admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal.

They included a girl who was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, a medical officer said.

Sensing trouble from a large group of students who had spent the night in an all-women market in the Khwairamband area, the Imphal West administration had imposed a curfew from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. The State capital straddles the Imphal West and Imphal East districts.

The students defied the curfew as more protesters joined them to march to the Raj Bhavan but security personnel stopped them from nearing the VIP zone. This led to scuffles and the security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

Students of Manipur University in another part of Imphal took out a protest march. They demanded the removal of the State’s security adviser Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh for failing to protect the lives and properties of the citizens. The protesters also demanded the resignation of all the MLAs on “moral grounds”.

Mobile internet, broadband, VPNs banned for five days in Manipur as protest turns violent | Video Credit: The Hindu

As groups of men and women spilt onto the streets to join the protesters, tearing up some posters displaying the photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, the Imphal West district authorities reimposed the curfew from 11 a.m.

The Imphal East district administration issued a similar curfew order while prohibitory orders under Section 162 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were clamped in the Thoubal district.

The State’s Home Department also issued an order suspending mobile Internet, lease lines, broadband, and VPN services in five districts of the Imphal Valley for five days from 3 p.m. on Tuesday “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.”

The Education department also said schools and other educational institutions would remain closed till Thursday.

Governor’s appeal

Manipur Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who held a meeting with the representatives of students and women groups around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, called for peace.

A statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said the Governor was concerned about the sudden spurt of violent incidents. It said everyone in Manipur would have to contribute and find ways to overcome the ongoing crisis as violence was not a solution to any problem.

It further stated that the Governor was constantly speaking to public leaders, students, and people in general. “In view of the present situation, the Governor appealed to all sections of the society, student organisations and public leaders to work together to establish peace and help Manipur to scale a new height of growth and development,” the statement said.

Congress slams PM

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promising to do in 15 months what the Congress could not in 15 years.

“Indeed. Within 15 months of getting a decisive mandate from all sections of Manipur’s society, he allowed the State to go up in flames. It is still burning with no respite in sight,” he said.

“The Supreme Court has declared that there is a breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the State. Yet Mr. Modi is unmoved. He travels all over the globe engaging in huglomacy, but cannot find the time or the inclination to visit the State since the tragedy began unfolding there on May 3, 2023,” he added.

More than 230 people have been killed in the ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people in Manipur during the past 16 months. The State erupted in violence after a four-month lull on September 1, leaving at least 11 people, including two women, dead and more than 20 others injured.

Officials said the conflict had taken a serious turn with extremist groups now using drones to deliver bombs and firing long-range rockets.

Inspector General of Police (Operations), I.K. Muivah, confirmed the involvement of “foreign elements” in the drone attacks over the past few days on the periphery of the Imphal Valley.

“We are gathering various pieces of evidence, including drone fragments recovered from the scenes. These have been sent to the forensic lab to analyse the chemicals used in the bombs,” he said, adding the investigation might be transferred to the National Investigation Agency given the gravity of the situation.